Sunday, December 29

Travel clan reunion in Toowoomba, Australia

31 Oct - 5 November 2013

After numerous places have been pinned in the world map, (ewah), it feels incomplete to skip visiting bestfriend who stays abroad especially when we stand chances to experience the living style even just for a while. So I decided to grab tix with Zera to pay a visit our dear friends aka travelmates all the way in Toowoomba, South Queensland, Australia.


We arrived in Coolongata Airport in early morning, so were instantly brought back by Ju and Ezam to navigate a few lookouts at Springbrook National Park where we once visited together a few years earlier, only this time we have another plus one, Kimi!

Oh yes, not to mention that Kimi was so growing up, as compared to the last time I saw him before leaving Paka. How time flies so freaking fast.
  





We went to Harbour Town,find some personal stuff and souvenirs to take home, and having our big,fat,yummy Kebab for lunch before heading to Toowoomba city. It was almost when day the was  dark, we arrived in the windy Toowoomba city. 


The attractions around Toowoomba is Japanese Garden. It was a serene and quite park, that we enjoyed the peaceful walk around the park.







And of course, the couple is bright enough to bring us strolling around uni area. Welcome to the University of Southern Queensland.!


One of the common activities held in the country is garage sales. And definitely we took the opportunity to visit a few garages around the neighborhood to see what was there they got to offer.



Australia has so many mother natures with beautiful scenery that are well-preserved by the government. We traveled over one hour by car to reach an isolated national park, Bald Rock National Park. It was sunny and yet the air was chill , thus it was bearable for us to reach the top of the hill without drinks.


We strolled almost 30 minutes before we got to see the breathtaking scenery from the top of the hill surrounded with massive rocks. The long journey to get here is worth it!


Back to Toowoomba, it also has loads of recreational parks for the public. We were lucky that our visit took place in spring time, thus, there was still sights of splendid flower blooms around the places. Just so you know, the purple flowers spread around the city is called jacaranda.



An evening at picnic point, to enjoy the sunset.


And also to queens park with amazing landscape.


When the adults are enjoying the peaceful stroll, Kimi,on the other hand was so excited running here and there as though he just set his feet on the ground. hihi.

Apart from that, we went to Vinnies, a shop selling used items. And rarely seen in Malaysia, there were old folks  in the shop as the sales assistants and cashiers.If you wish to look for hunky, young OZ sales person, just forget it.:p


We strolled around Toowoomba city on one of the days.


We went to Coles, Woolies to get some groceries to eat at home, and kuih lamington to bring to Malaysia. Seriously it tasted yumms!


Hey, when is it that hypermarket in Malaysia can operate self-service check-out  like this, I wonder.Hmm..



Friday, December 6

Cooking project on Eid Adha break

I`'ve be meaning to cook heavy meals for so long, other than the meals that Mak have served us. Recent Eid Adha happened to be a long stretch of holidays and I must say the longest days in a row of the  year that I was at my Mak's home. And it was perfect for experimenting the recipe that randomly found in the internet. So I decided to make Laksa Johor. I won't go into the details of the recipe, for it was just another version of Terengganu Laksa with 'Kuah Masak'. If it is not exactly the same, but still, it is quite close.

Considering it was my first attempt, I guess the finishing was not  that bad. My siblings will be automatically picky eater when it comes to trying food that I made. It left me with only loyal food tester, with good motivation, my Mak and my reliable food finisher, chubby Zulaika.


Kih kih kih.


The next day, my eagerness still remained good. I planned to try roti jala, or some called it as 'pukat buruk'. Whatever they named it, Mak has never served this to us before.  But I have tasted the delicious version of roti jala, and I was hooked to this meal since.So why not give it a try!


I googled and  found a demo of doing roti jala and I was intrigued to start it there and then. It was fun initially, but, I never expected the work is not as easy as eating it. Let alone enjoying doing the 'jala' thing.  But my mak, as expert cook as she has always been, showed my the right way to so that the roti jala can be rolled as close to perfect. Mind you, the curry was yet to be cooked. Ah -haa...




After a while, I fed up. Perhaps that was not good time to continue with curry.( Alasan.) In the contrary my little two sisters, Fatihah and Zulaikha were so eager to do it. I left them to finish  my initial enthusiasm, and apparently they enjoyed it so much that Zulaikha repetitively asking me for next attempt of roti jala almost every time I went home. And I believe she will ask again when I go home end of this week, and sure enough, she will not stop asking until I can find my time to suit her request.That girl...



The long break has ended. We received bunch of Qurban beef ,  so I requested  Mak to make rendang so that I can bring to the office. And definitely fresh beef rendang tasted nyums!


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...