Satisfaction & a little Mt Tambourine adventure
Watching things pan out just as I suspected all along, has a certain type of satisfaction to it. Things generally have a way of continuing in the same direction they start out with despite outside influences of trying to ensure otherwise. An uncouth character may choose to blunder on with eyes shuttered despite evidence suggesting change may be beneficial, and that unfortunately is just the simple reality of some. Naivety has it's limits, honesty is a virtue but not all things offered both may thrive.
Never let it be said that there is no liberation or happiness in acceptance of what is; the sun will rise no matter how much one may wish it were not so, same as how pigs simply cannot be taught to fly. I've really come to embrace that experiences have a way of inspiring appreciation in the people and opportunities of the present. What are a couple of setbacks next to the knowledge that there are always those who will have your back no matter what?
It is new friendship goals that we can freely take each other's food and go on impromptu karaoke adventures (which albeit involve very little singing). I love every moment we decide to do something fun on a whim - it feels like we're really living. Making something out of what was nothing. Speaking of which.. about a week ago, Tam Justin Joon and I finally simultaneously all had a day off and decided to celebrate Pk's 21st birthday... four months late. I concocted up an epic lie to make pk come with me onto the Tambourine Mountains.
I told this girl I'd be having a long week of working coming up and hence needed some fun activities to mentally prepare me. Despite the fact that she was originally planning on going to a dance class, I pulled a little passive aggressiveness (just the right amount mind you), and knowing that she was always a 10/10 friend she skipped the class to keep me company. I told her I'd plan everything and take her out on a fun day.
Um I last minute googled a walking trail (Witches falls) ... which was estimated to be an hr hike, except the sad part is somehow we never ended up finding the waterfall properly LOL. Made a giant circuit, came across this lookout and saw a small waterfall below it but I'm pretty sure we never actually arrived at the big falls area. Well, I'm assuming there was one. We were running low on time before I had to quickly force her to eat the lunch I packed us. It was rice, braised beef, vegetables & a mandarin.
And I forgot to pack the spoons.
We ate using our hands wrapped with plastic bags.
I quickly made up a another lie of going to cedar creek falls to actually see some real waterfalls since it required very little walking. Main part was it is actually only a few metres away from Thunderbird Park which was the real destination. I thought she'd know the minute I turned down the path but she assumed I was just finding parking to walk to the falls. Anywho, it wasn't intentional that the first trail we failed to find a waterfall but it worked out quite nicely.
SURPRISE!
Tree top challenge!!!!!!!!! $49 per person, with harnesses, gloves and instructions inclusive. For those who don't know what it is - its basically an obstacle course involving ladders, nets, bridges, zip-lines etc. amongst the treetops. Difficulty ranges from easy to difficult (higher up in the trees essentially). You can try all of them, but we started off at the easy then tackled the hard one towards the end.
Thanks for coming on with us justin, despite the fact we actually bullied you onto it but we know you enjoyed it nevertheless ;)
Halfway through the treetop challenge:
"WHO SUGGESTED THIS??!? WHY ARE WORKING OUT SO HARD"
"ARE YOU A RADIOGRAPHER OR A PANSY, COME'ON"
I actually have a fear of heights but ended up loving the flying fox. Live on exhilaration (except now that I'm older I'm also scared of dying or hurting myself but hey). We were running real late for dinner reservations though - so we hopped in our cars and just got changed into fancy dress in broad daylight.
Vivo Cucina!!!! Amazing italian restaurant and our first fine-dining experience as a group :) Tam came in this really nice sleeky black dress but forgot to bring shoes so ended up wearing her ratty nikes with pink shoelaces. LOVE YOU TAM.
Absolutely loved loved loved the pizza. We got a main each and shared two pizzas because it was just. that. good. That or we just worked our asses off for dinner since we exercised so much. Mind you, Pk and I did a 3km hike + tree top challenge. Tam's funghi Gnocchi was exquisite, Joon's chicken was sooooo juicy and I dunno everything just tasted so good. Thank god the portions weren't real fine dining portions (aka two bites).
We ordered desserts to share:
Cioccolato Rosso Ferarri (Pistacio Crostata, stracciatella ice cream, ferrari red chocolate sphere, grappa infused chocolate sauce).
Sapori d'Italia (assorted variety of desserts incl. 2 flavours of gelati [berry&mango], expresso semifreddo, Torta limone, Chocolate pannacotta)
Both were excellent to be honest. The first one probably also worth it for the visual affects of watching liquid chocolate being poured over a red dome and melting it. Second one is pretty with it for the money, $17 to taste a variety of desserts albeit in mini size.
The restaurant heard we were celebrating her birthday so they "surprised" her with a cake of their own, free of charge (and excellent tasting too). Our waitress even came and sang happy birthday to her and upon realising tam was in the bathroom when we sang the first time, she pulled out a lighter and lit the candle on Pk's cake when tam got back so we could sing it again HAHA. Honestly 10/10 experience.
Pk, happy late 21st birthday. You never usually let me take nice photos of you but it is a sign our friendship has reached top level (and you luv mi). I know I make terrible jokes but I'm glad I make you guys laugh, even if you don't laugh WITH me but AT me but xoxo. You have one of the biggest hearts I know. I strive to be as honest, generous, caring and brave as you. You're someone very close to my heart.
The night ended with Joon insisting on taking us into the Casino. None of us have gambled before in our lives but after failing to enter the treasury casino once this was a much better experience. Saw those black jack tables and Roulette tables just like in the movies.
We also watched in amazement in seeing Joon turn $50 into $500. He casually won $400 at Roulette by telling us to pick random numbers and we won so many rounds the people were staring at us in disbelief. Almost felt like I legit gambled but nah I ain't about that life (my luck by myself is probably too atrocious to even try). Nevertheless. WE WATCHED A PROFIT HAPPEN and got free drinks with some of it.
I cannot remember having been this happy in such a long time. Its fun meeting up every week, but that day everything seemed to go so smoothly and it was relatively spontaneous too, just the way I love it.
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