Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Post NZ Blue

For a person who usually goes to bed at before the sun rises and wakes up a couple of hours before the sun sets, it took her a lot of "inner strength" to get her arse off the bed at 0600 almost every morning. I'm not blowing my own horns but I think I deserve some applauses from everyone for this little achievement.

It was a pain at the beginning of the trip when the alarm went off in the morning. I couldn't help but to snooze it a couple of times before I dragged myself out of bed. Towards the end of the trip, however, I was improving. I didn't have to set my alarm because I would be up once my beloved room mate, Eva, got up. No more whinging about how sleepy I was and how I couldn't opened my eyes.

The trip was awesome with great company and lotsa laughter. Our daily routine usually consists of getting up at 6am, have our breakfast and pack our lunch, ski/board for about 6 hours each day excluding lunch time, starving in the car on the way home while dying to have a Ferg and some vodka/gin/whisky/any form of alcohol, shower, big dinner, drink, drink, drink then sleep and cycle repeats itself. I thought it was one of the healthiest trip I've ever been (despite the drinking and fatty fast food on some nights) as I don't think I've exercise so much after my gymnastics days in primary school and ballet days up till before college. I've somehow managed to shed some pounds although I was eating a high-carb diet every 3 hours (James, you can start laughing at me again!) throughout the trip.

I've practised to let go of things that I used not to be able to - travel light and casual. I did bring a big suitcase but trust me that I've brought much less unnecessary stuff with me. I washed my clothes during the trip. Another thing was that I brought with me NO make-up at all this trip and I couldn't be f*cked whether we're going to fancy restaurants/bars or not. I felt comfortable in my own skin and I thought it was a rare break for myself and my skin. I went partying on the last Saturday in flats and bare face, yet I felt comfortable except for a little hot in my knitted top.

Traveling really does help you know your friends. To be honest, I wasn't 'that' close with this group of monkeys before the trip but I felt like they were my family during the trip. Being in the apartment day and night with 8 people allows you and others to see the real self. Everyone was fun-loving and easy to get along with which made this trip an enjoyable and memorable one. As we were saying "you're my friend if you've seen me after a long day of ski/board-ing - look terrible, sweaty and tired". Very true! In these 11 days, I've learnt that...

1) I can function in the morning (although still quite slow)
2) I can share bathroom with other people
3) I can't cook but I can load and unload dishes in and out of MY washer
4) I can eat as much as I want (or more than usual) and lose weight if I ever care to exercise
5) I can get on a natural high with food
6) Vince can be a talent for hair gel tv commercial
7) we should "put it out there" as taught by CJay
8) James needs ginseng + red bull
9) Eva is still my friend after I embarrassed myself in public
10) Michele, like myself, has to be in the front seats or we will get sick
11) Hye Jin shares a lot of same interest with me, e.g. art and culture
12) Ilya can cook, can ski, can board and can help you up when you fall

Woke up yesterday feeling rather depressed that I'm back in Melbourne and there's no more Cardrona or Remarkables for us. No more packing my sandwiches in my ski jacket, no more Fergs, no more drinking ourselves silly, and no more strolling on the streets of the quaint little Queenstown. Can't wait till the next season and fingers crossed if I get enough $$, Hakuba in Feb/March.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

i miss "cardrona" as well as your (& my) silliness, can't wait til next season :)