text: natalie          photos: me

Due to the exhausting 29th, Miss Lai decided to sleep a bit more than usual though I dragged her up for fun and photos at the Government's House on the Botanical Garden! It was a pity that the Government House was undergoing renovation for APEC meeting later this year and will not be opened till I have left! Fortunately, the chalet, where the Governor's daughters used to lived was opened for visitors to look around. There were 2 guides who answered our questions and took time to explain the furnishings and the old appearance of the chalet! We had nice conversations about law too, hahaha! The guides were interested in how HK has evolved after the Handover and whether the citizens were politically satisfied with what they have. One of the guides, Patricia visited HK before the Handover and said she would love to revisit the place. Again, we are photo freaks, so we took lots!

When we were about to leave the park, at the entrance, there were LOTS of Galahs parrots with a dash of yellow hair and white feathers .... and you know the usual consequences ... incessant photo-shooting, it was absolutely GREAT FUN!

Then, we left for Imogen's 1-year old birthday party at Aunty Grace's place! Imogen is so adorable when she saw the birthday cake that MaryAnn prepared for her ... the smiles of proud parents, grandparents and great-grandmother was surely the testimony of a harmonious, supportive family! We spent a lot of time eating, chatting with church friends, table-tennis (I am sooo good at it still!!! HAHAHA - completely boasting).

William, a church friend then offered a ride for us to Milson's Point for night shots, but the place was just freezing and chilling!! We managed to get a few night shots, but the winds just blew us away from the place .... sort of interfered with our plan to walk across the Harbour Bridge too! Then, we took a train to TownHall and went inside QVB to take photos, it was a playground for us when there are so few people around!

After the spins of cameras, we met up with Enoch (who was dragged out by me though he had quite some work to finish off) to have dinner at a pizza place and had a spicy lamb pizza with Caesar Salad. The salad was really tasty, so as the pizza, haha! We indeed had great conversations, especially when Miss Lai and Enoch had this battle of IQ questions, which I have absolute no talent in them!

We went home really tired that night ..... and we ate the chocolate truffles bought from Max Brennar at Manly, it was surely the best chocolate place in Sydney!!!!!!!!!! We had to sleep early because my parents would arrive the next day, early at 6am in the morning!

tags: australia2007 sydney travel

text: natalie          photos: me

Unbelievable Day!

It was a blessed day because the weather suddenly took a stiking turn and became absolutely warm and filled with sunshine! Me and HY sat on the promenade of the Circular Quay for lunch in the outdoor facing the harbour and the ferry wharves. We had a big plate of ravioli! Each piece is as big as 3 small standard ravioli with tomato sauce and beef, spectacularly tasty! We also had a sandwich with avocado, chicken, veggie and chips .... Now I know that HY is a chips-lover, hahaha! Even the seagulls sort of sensed it and flew over to compete with HY! A daring one even snatched a long chip from the plate, gosh!

Next, we went to the Manly ferry wharf to buy a ticket to the beach there! It was a wonderful ferry journey because we passed so many beautiful places along the way and we took endless photos there - of how the waves crashes on the shore, lines of clouds, colour and texture of the skies!

Then, when we finally arrived, we quickly headed to the beach where there were plenty of seagulls for us to do photo-shoot!!!! GREAT FUN! Some people were feeding them so they manage to stay together at the main part of the beach ... sometimes they suddenly fly up into the sky because they were trying to fight for the food that one of the seagulls captured! Apart from that, my favourite subject is to take photos of the rolling, strong and determined waves!

We were very courageous too because we then took a bus and ventured into the North Head where there are cliffs and beautiful scenary. Unfortunately, we got lost from the very beginning, started at the wrong spot .... however, we finally walked for many kilometres before we reached the final destination and saw the deep cleavages of cliffs with the city of Sydney as the background!! MARVELLOUS!

What comes the highlight of the day is Audrey's SURPRISE PARTY (FAREWELL AND BELATED B-DAY PARTY)! I was surprised that she managed to throw such a party for me!! We fit 30 odd people in our smallish apartment! And she cooked a LOT of fooooood for everyone who came. We sang songs and ate cakes .... said something to thank my friends who came over!

At first, I was disappointed that nobody dated me out for farewell dinners or lunch or gatherings .... and when I saw Audrey's email account the other day, sort of had a sneek look at the first email tagline and suddenly realised she was planning sth special ... I was overwhelmed and said how grateful that she did that for me ... then quickly she said no and that I had already spoiled her plan by dating different friends for catch-ups ... so i was deceived by the way she acted! Audrey is surely a superb actor! With HY's help, they conspired to make sure I go to Manly and return home at the right time, but most importantly, to stay away from home to allow time and space to grill the lovely dinner!!

HY took a lot of photos for me ... friends also took A LOT! SO I will have plenty to look at as part of my fond memories here in Sydney!!!!!!!!!

tags: australia2007 sydney travel

text: natalie          photos: me

It was the first day that me and Miss Lai had a splendid day together walking in the Sydney CBD! We started off with a ride to the Customs House Library to see the chic red decor inside. Then, we went to the promenade outside the Opera House for lunch. We packed some sandwiches, made some nice Earl Grey tea with some fruits and sat down, facing the magnificent Harbour Bridge while the Opera House stood at the back! We were surrounded by lovely seagulls, diving and gliding in our vicinity - they are adorable creatures indeed! Unfortunately, it did rain a bit while we were enthusiastically taking photos around the Opera House! So we detoured to the Museum of Contemporary Arts (MCA).

There were new acquisitions in the MCA and we kept on walking and saw quite a few video installations! There was a very interesting exhibit created by ernesto neto, which is really spongy tied up in a silk baggage ... it allows you to somehow slip inside and be cuddled by the baggage ... best of all, we were allowed to touch it and feel the texture! It is an 'organic' piece giving one security and warmth!

When we were too tired, we head off to Martin's Place for chocolate afternoon tea at the Lindt!! We each had a dark chocolate ice mocha .... and then black forest cake! We just had chat after chat, so delighted!!!!!!!!!! We also took quite a lot of photos to satiate our photograher's desire!

Later, we walked to the direction of the Chinatown, passing QVB and the Town Hall .... went to Ernst & Young to drop off a farewell gift for a friend - then it was eating AGAIN! This time, we went to a Japanese restaurant at Burlington! We both had a rice box, very filled .... we walked back all the way to Opera House for the highlight of the day - the JAZZ concert by Caroline Nin - as a homage to Edith Piaf!

We sat a spectacular spot, sitting around a table, like a proper jazz bar, in the front, can see the singer in such a close distance!!! Most unexpected was that it was also the day that the Opera House was listed to the World Heritage List!! WOW!!! Anyway, 'la vie en rose' was sung last night! Love it sooooooo much! And because she can speak good English, she was able to give context and dramatically act out the meaning .... what a musical night we had!!

As you know we are crazy about photos, we stood in the cold to take many more photos of the Opera House and the Bridge! Therefore, we also took this!

tags: australia2007 sydney travel

the team!! :D from left to right: richard, me, sally, denise
(coaches: felix and jeffrey)

left: strolling on the streets at 6am in the morning.......
right: sleeply sally XD

random pics taken outside the hotel on elizabeth street

richard - nervous at his last practice before the competition =p
sally - cute. (as richard would say...lol)

denise's skeleton of arguments!!!!

arrived at victoria university! denise and richard working in the lib.
me apparently facebooking...

the victoria uni building is soooo pretty
it used to be the registry of birth, death and marriage!

FIRST MATCH - against newcastle!!! way to go, denise & richard :)
felix was SO proud of us, hahhahahahha
and note the pink bundle we gave to the opponents.......................

SECOND MATCH - against Indonesia!
comment we got: "awesome stuff" :D

THIRD MATCH - against Victoria U.
it's also the first match that sally and i mooted in....and luckily we won =p
what a good start!

FOURTH MATCH - against UTS (university of technology sydney)
the tallest mooter in the pic (jamie) won the best mooter prize :D
they're such a friendly bunch......will miss them lots

oh and the arbitration was heard before "online DMC" - the guy who wrote the homepage with all the maritime case extracts!!! we've certainly impressed him with our "tab AF of the bundle".....

after 2 days of intense competition, felix treated us to dinner at a lebanese restaurant called Abla's recommended by denise! he also told us some strange stories that happened in PCLL....

monday night drinks at Gold Monkey - had a nice chat with friends from 政法大學!

the next day, we headed to Fitzroy by tram...

and took quite a lot of pics...

since not many shops are open at fitzroy, we left early and attended a guided tour at the parliament :) the green background in one of the pics above is the carpet in the room of the legislative assembly.

we had too much time to kill...hence the visit to st. pactrick's cathedral

Grand finals at the Federal Court of Australia which took us 30 min to find -__-"'

and finally...the awards dinner!!!

saying goodbye to the lovely people from india and indonesia...

and UTS and China...

lastly...more jester pies in the morning
and took a small jet to sydney in the afternoon :D

.

"the world's so small...we always meet twice." - online-DMC.

so much to be thankful for.

tags: australia2007 competition maritime melbourne moot travel

one for arguing the defence's case in the advocacy exam
one for arguing the prosecution's case in the advocacy exam
one for arguing the claimant's case in the moot
and one for arguing the respondent's case in the moot

@_@

tags: exam moot stress

time really flies >_<

our first gathering (nov 2006)
shabu shabu (nov 2006)
pictionary night at denise's place (dec 2006)
my birthday (jan 2007)
ocean park + hotpot + pool (jan 2007)
carnival (feb 2007)
ruth's birthday (feb 2007)
gathering at simon's (feb 2007)
bernadette's birthday (march 2007)
denise's birthday (april 2007)
kevin tsang's birthday (april 2007)
tom's birthday (may 2007)
gloria's birthday (may 2007)

...am definitely gonna miss you all.

tags: group 6 high court PCLL