Winter be gone

Winter gets me down. Days are so gloomy that it takes a lot for me to smile. There is very little time to do anything as the sun sets very early. Nights are so cold that I really do not like getting off the couch.

Yesterday, the day went up to 20 degrees Celsius and many people took advantage of it. We saw tons of people walking their animals. There are more people riding their bikes as well.

Steven and I went for a stroll and these are a few of the things that we saw.

Fishing and found a lizard

I love fishing because it relaxes me and I get to talk with Steven without any distraction. I can also appreciate the beauty of South Australian beaches. But that is it--I only enjoy it when we are doing saltwater fishing. We sometimes get to catch a few fish and that is very rewarding.

It seems rivers do not like us. These selfish brown bodies of water seem to get off on snagging our lines and letting us spend hours not catching anything. We have killed dozens of earthworms and kilograms of good bones and yet they do not seem to be satisfied with the offering.

Last Sunday, Steven and I tried catching yabbies and as expected, we did not get anything. But on the way, we were able to see a dead wombat, a huge flock of pelicans and this feisty lizard.

This creature was crossing the road. After a few beauty shots, we led it to the side of the road.

New look 2011

I have noticed that the size of computer screens have changed. More and more people are using widescreen monitors so the 4:3 ratio screen is becoming obsolete.

The banner with the windmill and water container I had is also taken using my old camera. I want my new camera shots to have more exposure.

And that is why I have changed my blog. Here are the other new features:

1. bigger photos

2. email notification everytime I post a new entry

3. link to my Facebook account

4. search feature if you want to look for a specific blog post

5. ability to play with fish if you are a straight male (sorry I have to be straight-friendly)

I hope you like the changes and feel free to message me if you have suggestions

Dexter's 33rd

I am getting spoiled. I have been learning to love my birthdays. Thanks to Steven and one Burundian refugee I met here in Adelaide. The latter told me that I should celebrate it because it is about my birth and my existence. The former just reinforces that I am a person who deserves to be loved.

For the past few months, Steven and I have been slowly buying some camping equipment because we both love the outdoors and being away from the distractions in Adelaide. It is not really that difficult to be away from the Internet, cellular phone coverage and TV. It is a lot more fun just sharing stories and dreams by a faint lamplight.

This year, Steven took me to the Mallee Valley wherein he braved several kilometers of sticky mud and a potential heart attack (the risk of hitting a tree is not for the faint of heart). We pitched our tent right in the middle of nowhere, had some sausages and played cards.

Outside it was raining and the moon was bright. The air was cold and all the animals seemed to have surrendered. All was quiet.

 

Inside, we were tucked in warm sleeping bags. It is heaven being with this man I love.

And in the morning, I walked around and just felt so grateful of all the things that are in my life. And I also took photos. I hope the photo of the poisoned echidna does not spoil the beautiful experience I have described so far.

Getting high at Mt. Lofty

In Adelaide, one really does not have to travel far to have fun. Mt. Lofty is only a 40-minute drive from the CBD and yet it presents a beautiful perspective of Adelaide--the highest one!

Yes, Mt. Lofty is the highest point where you can actually see the CBD. In fact, we were able to see the coast and the airport from that point.

It was not easy taking photos as I do not have my lens filter yet and it is still the height of winter here. I took photos of the very tame birds and some of the tourists.

 

 

It was also Steven's first time to be there so both of us were surprised that Mt. Lofty has a walking trail. We will definitely go back there when the weather is a bit warmer.

 

 

 

 

We also discovered this summit has a huge botanical garden. Despite the cold, a few of the plants were able to produce the most beautiful blooms and the most enticing scents. I was inspired to take a lot of photos in between bouts of drizzle.

You will see more Mt. Lofty photos here in spring!

Adelaide Birdies

We woke up with a frost today. I did not see it because I was too cold to even walk out of the apartment. Apparently, the temperature went down to 1 C. And this is how I currently look.

Luckily, I was able to photograph a few more birds in our local park a week ago. These are rainbow lorikeets, a flock of galahs, and a magpie.

 

 

 

Losing it

I arrived from our Manila vacation weighing around 72 kilograms. I really felt horrible because that was the heaviest I have ever been. I swore that I will be back to my Bangkok weight by next summer.

It is not easy losing weight here because I need to cook our food. Cooking Thai dishes is a challenge here because of the availability and the price of the ingredients. We even have to visit the shops at least twice a week.

Exercising is also a challenge because I do not have access to California Wow's numerous choices of cardio classes (i.e. Body Pump, jazz dance, pole dancing--yes pole dancing!). The equipment here (Adelaide City Council gym and Fitness First) are also inferior and outdated compared to the ones found in Manila and Bangkok. Again, I have to rely on myself when it comes to cardio exercises.

So this is the result of the hard work. I am now 68.2 kilos. My target is 65 kilos. I really hope I can reach this goal before summer comes.

No fountain of youth here.

Western tourists make fun of signs in Asia because they are either poorly translated or they are deliberately done to sound catchy. Though English is the official language here, Australia still uses it in an (uninentionally) funny way.

We pass by this sign every time we drive to the Barossa Valley. I wonder how long this sign and slogan will last.

I guess Peter Pan will look the other way.

Adelaide Botanic Garden

Winter is the best time to go to touristy places because there are only a few crazy people who would brave the low temperature and put up with the muddy ground. We have had so much rain the past year that nobody talks about water restriction anymore.

I am also having a break from work so it is the best time to visit places that I have never been to. Last weekend, Steven and I decided to visit the Adelaide Botanic Garden and here are the photos.

I hate the fact that Steven does not need to exert a lot of effort to look cute. Look at those eyes!