Thursday, August 18, 2016

Preserve, and you'll reap the rewards in time

Trust me, only the dedicated folks wouldn’t let the chilly weather be in the way of a good exercise on the hills.

Although my friend was rather hesitant to invite me for the expedition because he knew that I’m knee-deep with the workload, I was game for it. I needed the time out from a packed schedule and smell the fresh fragrance. The workload has greatly impacted my emotions and, as such, it’s making me reconsider the plans for the future (read: after graduation).

The more I ponder on it, the more it feels like the right move for me.

But that’s a story best left for another day.

Back to today’s post.

It definitely was a hectic weekend trying to balance the readings, tutorial work and the outing. I almost tripped on the steps in the library after a late night with a friend (I wish it was for our assignments instead, though) and crashed in the Administrative Law lecture due to the inadequate sleep over the weekend. I should’ve realized that disaster was around the corner when I slept at 1 am on both days and woke up 6 hours later for classes.

Mea culpa.

With that, I introduce to you, Black Hill Conservation Park in Athelstone.



Its terrain is similar to that of Bukit Gasing but the atmosphere is much fresher and ‘tastier’ due to the unpolluted environment. It didn’t radiate the claustrophobic aura that Bukit Gasing sometimes had, especially in those shaded areas. I mean, sure, it’s good as a protection from the sun, but it also makes the place feel . . . cold and dingy.

The landscape, additionally, was breathtaking to the point where I continuously interrupted my friend to stop for pictures while we trekked the chosen path. As we gingerly made our way up, we were surrounded by beautiful trees and the colorful flowers that greeted us with a smile.







(I've obviously captured more pictures than this, but I'm not going to bombard the entire post with it, lol.)

He even added that the panoramic view changes into a stunning beauty if you are there later towards the evening, where you can hug your loved one close to you and watch the sunset in the distance. I know what some of you are thinking, but I’ll have to unfortunately disappoint you, folks. Neither did my friend and I wrap each other in an embrace (that’d be super awkward, and I would’ve elbowed him instead) nor did we watch the sun return to rest either.

The only issue that we encountered while trekking was the unexpected winds. While the projected forecast was a cloudy day, there was no indication of dancing trees up at the hills. Look, we may have been insane enough to trail the park in winter, but at least we were intelligent to bring a furry, warm coat with us.

We adjourned to an Italian cafe in the adjacent suburb of Campbelltown for a late tea/early dinner over rounds of coffee and pizza. I was tempted to order a medium-sized pizza, but figured that it was safer to stick to a smaller plate since it’s just the two of us.

Guess what? I gaped at the pizza when it arrived. It looks more like a medium than a small!



Top: Mocha
Bottom: Flat White



Magharita Pizza

As my friend was aware of my hesitance to loiter outdoors after dusk, the conversation and laughter continued at my place. Due to the sensitive nature of topics and jokes, it’s best to leave it out of the public domain, but I can briefly mention on something: I finally know what in the world ‘tickle my pickle’ means!! Bya, you should’ve just explained its definition to me back then.

It wasn’t until my eyes threatened to shut on me that my friend (not Bya) and I knocked off for the night and went our separate ways at a little past 1 am on a Sunday morning. How I managed to wake up in time for Mass is beyond me, but that left me like a walking zombie on Monday.

18 comments:

  1. The park looks serene! It's a good relaxation to spend some time outdoors to recharge. xoxo

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    1. It really is, Shirley! =) You can feel the worries and stress melting away as you trek the hill - and what's best about it is that there are positive surprises awaiting at every corner. *winks*

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  2. LOL....walking like a Zombie. Yea...have done that before when had too long night on Sunday

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    1. I hope that everything went well, Small Kuching. I mean, there's a greater chance of accidents occurring when we're walking like zombies in our sleep-deprived mode. =/

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    2. No choice. Too much late nights but so far okay. 😊

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    3. Oh, dear... do take care, Small Kuching. Always rest whenever you have the chance to. =)

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  3. Some lovely pics - I love the great outdoors - I think it's part of my Aussie blood. A good bit of exercise and fresh air I think will make you more productive and re-energize you to tackle that workload.

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    1. Thank you, Yum List. =) I've to admit that Australia has better outdoors than Malaysia. The fresh air and exercise was the release my brain needed. I was able to tackle my Creative Writing and Administrative Law assignments, but that can't be said of my Politics one. *cringes*

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  4. that's a very pleasant view from the top - i used to live beside a hill back in malacca, and my grandfather sometimes dragged me to go walking up the hill, early in the morning before sunrise ... your post made me remember that :)

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    1. I'm glad that it reminded you of that sweet time in your life, Sean. =) Walking hills is actually a good exercise in itself - due to the gradient and its impact on cardio.

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  5. Yes, preserve. Much has been lost, the price we pay for development.

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    1. There's also an issue of global warming associated with development, STP. The lack of trees are increasing the level of carbon dioxide in our ecosystem as well. =/ That's one good thing here, though. They usually allocated certain plots for parks and hills and other lands for development.

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  6. What the... I don't believe there is anything in Adelaide, or even the Oz, that should be compared to Bukit Gasing. No way! You don't compare nice hiking in the great Outback with a hiking trail in the midst of polluted suburban. No way...

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    1. Whoa, whoa, I only compared to Bukit Gasing in terms of the terrain (not a tarred road) and the atmosphere (Blackhill has better scenery than Bukit Gasing) - just for the imagery, CL. I'm nicely inferring that Bukit Gasing's beauty has been marred by the endless pollution...

      Speaking of which, ever considered swinging by Adelaide and breath the sweet-smelling Aussie air?

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    2. Who knows... it is my dream to go on an epic drive around Australia. But it is also my dream to drive across the United States and Europe. All 3 have not happened yet. :/

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    3. Keep your fingers crossed. You never know when an opportunity to drive around Australia or the States might come your way one fine day. =)

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  7. Sounded like a great hike up and around Black Hill Conservation Park. Oh dear to the blustery weather. So there really was dancing trees? :O You are right in that parks here are so much more clean and green than in Malaysia. Plus, the lesser humidity also helps. I have been hiking quite a bit over the last few months in winter in Melbourne and like you, it has been windy. The other day I bought a beanie and next time I will take it with me on hikes - that way my hair won't flap around my face as I climb hills :D

    Speaking of sleeping at 1am, good on you for waking up in time for classes. Good effort :D You know, I thought I left sleeping at 1am behind in my uni days...but it has carried over to my work life. Most nights I just stay in, stay up late and YouTube. Not as exciting as you :D

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    1. It's just an imagery to describe the force of the winds, Mabel. =) I don't think dancing trees actually exist in real life, lol, but we wouldn't know. I'm usually alright with the wind slapping me with my hair (partly because it's tied back and I'm hiding in a hoodie), but it's nice at times. *winks*

      Well, that's because I've scheduled my tutorials to be at 9 am so that I'll have no choice but to haul my sorry backside off the bed. I think the only time we are able to call an early night by choice is after retirement. =S

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