Inspiring Quotes Along My Travels ....

Dear Friends,

Send me your quotes so I can learn and grow from them :-)

xoxo
R :-)



This one is from a dear friend Kim:
“One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And, the choices we make are ultimately our own” - uk


My favorite quote is:
"The only regrets in life are the risks you did not take - Grumpy Old Men


Moody's wisdom:
When nursing, always act like a duck: appear calm and ruffled on the surface but paddle like hell underneath - uk


This is one I took from my ex-boss, Thank you !
Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the one's who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it.


Maya Angelou
"We are more alike than unalike"


Mohandas Gandhi
An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.


Mohandas Gandhi
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.


Lululemon Athletica
Dance, Sing, Floss and Travel



Laila's favourite quote from one of Jodi Picoult novel:
The most extraordinary thing about motherhood is that when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of her/his neck....finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without - Jodi Picoult


Thanks to Jenny for sharing her next few quotation:
1) Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad. It settles for less than perfection, and makes allowances for human weakness. Love is content with the present. It hopes for the future and it doesn't brood over the past. It's the day-in and day-out chronicle of irritations, problems, compromises, small disappointments, big victories, and working toward common goals.

If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you don't have it, no matter what else there is, it is not enough, so search for it, ask God for it, and share it. - Victor Hugo


2) "If there's any doubt, there's no doubt"

3) "Take time to be quick"

4) "It's not procrastination, it's time spent growing as a person"

5) "Todo esta iluminado por la luz del pasado. Siempre esta a nuestro lado, dentro, mirando hacia fuera" = Everything is illuminated in the light of the past. It's always at our side, inside, looking outward.



James Robert Parsons addition to my list ...
It is easier to obtain forgiveness than permission


From Catherine Foley
"The best any of us can do is not quit, play the hand we've been given and accessorise what we've got." - Carrie Bradshaw

School is in but the distractions are endless ! - Byron Bay March 2010

Road Trip !!!

Some of you know that Byron Bay has a special place in my hear from the first time I had the chance to visit the place. It is only natural to make it our very first ROAD TRIP with 4 Canadians and 1 South African. For one night, we rented a car, a backpackers place (a room with 2 bunk beds) and hit the beach for swim and surf. It was easy to plan it all because I have been to this amazing place before. The only thing was left uncertain during our planning: do we go if it rains ???


I was up for going rain or shine ...and so were the rest of the crew (and we were very glad because the weather was on our side). After some calling around and booking the essentials, it was Saturday morning and SUNNY (not once this week we saw sun rays as amazing as the morning of our trip).

I hear a knock on my door, I open my eyes, it's Chris: so wanna trim my hair. (focus on 'trim'), yeah just the sides to make it a fo-hawk again. Days before, Chris has explained how one cannot mess up when cutting a guys hair because there is a type of thing on the end that sets the level and blah blah blah. So, I get up and think: well how hard can it be, he said I can't mess up. Renata says: sure buddy, let's trim then roll out to chase some waves.

After a little preparation, I get him to sit so I can have full control of his head. I take a breath and start front to back ... and now I can see his scalp !!! OMG ...10s silence, no one knows what to say. Hmmmm, so now what? I thought you can't mess up using an electric razor. Renata: what happened, I thought you told me this was fool proof. Chris: well yeah it is when using a trimmer, but this is an electric razor. Renata: Oh, now what? Chris: try to even it out. Renata: ok, sit again. (start the razor, take a deep breath, shave off another spot on Chris's head) Renata: hmmm, this isn't working. Chris: Oh god !

This kind of conversation goes on for a while, and now we are trying to figure out what to do with the 2 shaved spots on his head (these spots are on the same side of course). He decides that the only thing left to do is to shave both sides and create a full mohawk. By this point I'm in a state of shock and completely forgot that we still have to pick up the car and enjoy Byron Bay. All I could think about was: I am dead! Mr and Mrs Lam were going to (not sure what they were going to do) but something bad for ruining their son! Jenny, omg she will... again not sure what but do something to me! Julie and Jim, no idea what they are going to say ...but probably judge me...for what, not exactly sure ... someone please tell me what did just happen ??? ( I felt like I was 12 again and did something utterly ridiculous - I felt guilty but didn't know exactly why I was feeling that way).

Well, we cannot go back now, so I helped Chris and shaved both sides of his head, while remaining in a state of shock, then we packed up and took the bus into town to get our rental car.

Ta da:




Not sure how to feel at this point...excited yet extremely guilty.

Julie and Jim saw Chris in the morning and had the response I expected ...shock.

Once we met up with the others, and seeing Chris, I explained to the girls what has happened and got a reaction similar to ...shock.










At the rental place everything went smooth and it was our lucky day because we got a FREE up grade from a Toyota something to a Ford XR 6 ...sweetest sports sedan with a metallic blue finish that screams: LOOK AT ME! what do you think ? :-) (well, in my head, but it's a sweet ride to try out). Of course, rims, low ride, and super fast acceleration.


















Our day is sunny, we have a wicked ride, and Chris has a mohawk. I don't think we can prepare for a beach day any better even if we tried !!! The roads were great, not too much traffic, and make it to Backpackers Inn on time to unload and search for a surfing school. I completely forgot that NSW is in a different time zone so when we get there somehow we are 30min ahead then planned for (we are now behind schedule). The last surfing lessons start at 2pm and for some reason we find ourselves running around at 2:30 looking for Black Dog surf school.

Once we finally make it to our destination, we are told that we missed the lessons by 15 min. This makes us sad but oh well, we will go for a swim instead. However, just as we given up on the idea of surfing, the owner shows up with the car, and offers to drive us to meet the others on the beach. He packs up the boards and we gear up... then we are off to surf (so we think). However, we do not end up finding the gang of surfers, so we have to re-load the surf boards and head back to the store. Another time guys ! We get our refund and would like to leave a courtesy tip for driving us around ....but Dane (owner) would not have any of it! They just ask that we will come back and try it out again !!!

Dane, if you are reading this ... I am on my way !!!




















We head back to the beach and figure out what to do next. After we soak up some rays, do a little tourist visiting to the light house, see some large clouds and a beautiful sunset we decide to head back and prepare for dinner.


























































































































The BBQ at the hostel was not too shabby with live music and some wine. Once out on the town we experienced some Byron Bay night life - drinks and dancing. I wish I had a week or more to spend here because I realize one day and one night is not enough to fully enjoy Byron.



















































We mutually decide that in the am, before hitting the road, we will head back to the light house to witness the sunrise over the ocean. Long story short, the parking was closed from the day before, we park off the road but not in a designated spot since we see others do the same, and on our return this is what we find:







Nothing to worry about.
I have already written into the
Council of Byron Bay and waiting for
their reply (thanks to the help of Jim, Julie,
and Chris).



However, this story has been interrupted by spider-chasing .... I am a little disturbed and will have to finish the rest of this story another night ....

xo

Lone Pine sanctuary - March 2010

<<--- Will give out hugs for eucalyptus !!! This weekend Priscilla (one of my roommates) is packing up and leaving for an Oz tour before she heads back home to Brazil. Saturday night was her farewell 'barbie' (aka: BBQ) where we consumed more meat then I have ever seen before.

We had a Brazilian barbie, Italian sausage, and kangaroo meat for all to try. I made my nacho dip (obviously not nearly as good as Herron's mom's nacho dip) but I made it anywho and people seemed to like it. I also attempted guacamole with ingredients a little deviated form what I use back home, and again turned out not too bad. We had many people come by to say farewell to Pre, and I also invited some of my friends so they get to see where I live. It was a wonderful night, everyone having a great chat, great food, and loads of wine !!! Once we were are all stuffed and done munching, the gang heads out (for one last night) on the town with the Brazilian lady and have a blast dancing the night away !!!! Everyone had a great time and wished the night never ended !!! The next day however, we were all thankful that it did, and started our recovering process !!!













Sunday, a few of us decided what better way to recover from a great night than going to the Lone Pine koala sanctuary. The day was overcast (not too hot, not too bright, just perfect for a pounding headache). Once at the park, I was overwhelmed by the number of koalas and wanted to hug every single one of them. Stinky or not, koalas are still my favourite animal.



As soon as this kuddly little guys' paws were on my shoulders... we made a connection. He stuck his nose into my neck and whispered: take me with you !!! HAhahah I wish ! At one point I did contemplate running away with koala in hand, but then I noticed the line up of children behind me .... and if I did that, they would remember me (an adult) as a kuddly-koalla-stealer !!! And that would be no fun !

So, using the principles I learned in kindergarten, I shared the kuddly koala, and after getting my picture taken, I gave it back to the keeper and washed my hands. With my head hanging low, we walked about the rest of the park until, something got me excited again all over again.











The petting zoo!!!!

Emu, kangaroos and wallaby's everywhere !!!































So overall, the weekend was just too amazing, and not sure if my typing is giving justice to it all. It was a weekend to remember and hope to repeat with all the good friends !!!



46 Hawken drive at maximum capacity:



Happy travels and see you soon Priscilla !!!

xoxox
R :-)

<3

Life is beautiful - Language collection 2010

I think it's time to start my language collection. Now that classes have begun, I am meeting people from all over the world. They have all been extremely generous and teach me their language, well more like a phrase which I have introduced previously in my blog. So, I finally have enough to create a list and start my count (in no order of preferred language):


1. Life is beautiful (English)

2. Szep az elet (Hungarian)

3. Viaţa este frumoasa (Romanian)

4. A vida é bonita/bela (Portuguese)

5. La vie est belle (French)

6. Die lewe is pragug (Afrikaans)

7. Maurina hereadae (Maurie)

8. La vida es bonita (Spanish)

9. E vinaka tu na bula (Fiji) - June 2010

10. Das leben ist wunderschön (German) - June 2010

11. La vita e bella (Italian)

12. Zycie jest piekne (Polish)

13. Cuoc song nay that dep (Vietnamese)
(Toi yeu em - I love you)

14. ชีวิตก็สวยงาม (Thai)

15. 인생은 아름다운 (Korean)

16. जीवन सुंदर है (Hindi)

17. Obulamu (life) ekirungi (beautiful); Webale nnyo (thank you very much!) - Luganda

18. __________________ (Xhosa)

19. Maisha ni nzuri (Swahili)


Over-achieving my goal:

20.

Back to school, back to school - 1st week of studies March 2010

First week of classes are over and it's only Thursday !!!!

I have some amazing courses crammed into 3 days (Monday-Wednesday) but with lots and lots of readings to follow up on. Even though this week I felt as if these courses are a repeat form my undergrad program, I have a feeling that these courses will take a much deeper analysis of my present knowledge through the semester. It also tells me that I should come out my first semester with some amazing marks (no pressure but it is all-or-nothing !!!) Here is a little summary of my 4 courses: