[QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA 2015] - Movie World! (Part 2)

Hollywood Stunt Driver show is definitely one of the highlights in Movie World. The show was incredible and the drivers did some fantastic stunts with the cars!

After the Hollywood Stunt Driver show, we went for Justice League: Alien Invasion 3D. It requires us to shoot their laser blasters at the targets to defeat the alien threat. At first I thought it was a 3D coaster ride, but it turned out to be a shooting 3D ride like Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters in HongKong Disneyland. 

When I saw the carriage with the shooting guns, I straight away said "Oh my god, Pew Pew ride! Can pew here and there!" So, SiewHui and Jaz now keep mentioning that's JY's pew pew ride. 

After we came out from Justice League 3D ride, we went for Batwing Spaceshot. It caught my attention when we entered the theme park. It's stated that it's traveling at a speed of 64km per hour!

I didn't want to catch this ride at first because of acrophobia. But at the end, I was being forced to take this ride with SiewHui and Jaz. It was worth going up hahaha! The view from the highest point was breathtaking, where you can see the whole theme park and the surroundings!

When we were queuing up, I was like "I want to sit in the middle! I don't want to sit at the side!" SiewHui chose to sit on the side. When the ride went up, SiewHui looked down, and she was like "Shit! Let me down!", and when it shoot up, both of us literally scream our lungs out.

Apparently there was a man standing down there, looking at his son who was sitting beside us, when he saw both of us screamed like crazy mad woman, he was laughing all the way until the ride stopped! 

Three of us were contemplating to go for Superman Escapes or Arkham Asylum - Shock Therapy. We chose to go for Arkham Asylum instead. This ride is a feet-dangling ride, and the highest point is about 33.3 meter. We thought that it wouldn't be scary as the Superman Escapes ride, but turned out we were wrong, there was one point where there was a 270 degree turn and the power was so strong that you can't control yourself! We were being thrown front, back, left and right!

When the ride began and it started to go up, SiewHui was sitting beside me, and she was like "Oh my god, let me down! No no no! Let me down! Jaz I'm going to kill you!" Jaz was sitting infront us and the guy beside Jaz, turned and looked at both of us behind, and with a puzzled look, he turned to Jaz and must be wondering "Why these 3 Asian girls so crazy?!"

Went to grab our lunch after the Asylum ride. 

After our lunch, we continued to explore and headed towards the Wild West Falls.

Pre-departure, Departure and Arrival!

Been terribly busy and sick (for now) ever since I came to Oxford. So many things to post about and I don't know where to start. I think I'll just go about the pre-departure, departure and arrival first.

Glad to meet up with some of my friends the week before I flew to UK.

With the lao aunties (KimYee, JingYing, SuMin)

With Stephanie and LeeXiuan

With Papa and Mama

10th September was the day I departed to UK. It was such an emotional journey. I consider myself quite independent, but at the same time, I'm such a cry baby. Excitement was a big portion of my emotions though, I was so excited about the journey, the life in Oxford, the people that I'm going to meet!

With Daddy and Mommy. Sadly brother couldn't send me off that day.

Had problems checking in luggage with SiewHui on that day because our luggage were overweight. That lady told us to take out some of our things and both of us ended up taking out things in front of the check in counter. Suffered so much to pack everything the days before and there are a lot of things that we didn't get to bring because of the weight limit.

With SiewHui

It was a 13 hours direct flight from KL to London Heathrow. Luckily SiewHui and I decided to fly together instead of flying alone. At least got someone to talk to during the 13 hours flight. And champion ah, we didn't really sleep in the plane - only dozed off and woke up again after that and we didn't experience jet lag. 

SiewHui's dad's friend picked us up from the airport and helped us to check in to the hotel. When we touched down in London, the weather was just nice and the breeze made it so enjoyable to walk around.

Had our dinner in the room

[QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA 2015] - Movie World! (Part 1)

Day 3 (19/05/2015)

We headed to Warner Bros Movie World after our simple breakfast at the apartment. We took TX2 bus to Movie World and it was about 40 minutes ride. Movie World is a popular theme park in Gold Coast, Australia. With a lot of various movie-themed rides and attractions.

We bought our ticket from groupon before we went to Gold Coast. AUD80 for one person for the VIP Magic Pass, where we have the unlimited entries to 3 theme parks (Movie World, Sea World and Wet n' Wild). It was actually a good deal because a general admission to Movie World already costs AUD79.

Batwing Spaceshot and Superman Escape caught our attention once we entered the theme park. 

We went for the RIO: The 4D Experience show first. The show is about a 4D journey with Blu and Jewel, the last blue macaws on Earth, and see what unfolds when captured by the bird smugglers, and work together despite Blu's inability to fly.

Our first ride - the Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster. It was an indoor roller coaster and you'll definitely get shocked because of the complete darkness. It's a four-seated carriage, so three of us went ahead for this ride together. Siewhui and I sat at the one behind where Jaz sat the one in front. Siewhui and I thought that it will be safer at the back row, but it wasn't.

When the ride began, we entered into a dark tunnel with creepy loud sound effects. The carriage then went very fast. We were kind of being thrown left and right real hard until we reached the end. The carriage stopped suddenly and we thought it was the end of the ride. But we were completely wrong. The carriage suddenly went up and we had no idea what was going on. When it reached the highest point, it stopped for about 30 seconds. And it suddenly reversed and dropped backwards. That was when Siewhui and I screamed our lungs out. We couldn't react as everything went too fast for us lol. I was able to see the tracks and when I looked down, it was quite high from the ground! Totally enjoyed this ride though we screamed our lungs out lol! 

Thoughts #5

It’s now one week into September. 16 more days left. Two unpack but soon to be over-packed luggage lying on the floor waiting for me. I should be excited.

I had some time to consider what it is that I am so excited for, and what my expectations for this journey might be. It has already further ingrained in my mind that the only fact: I hate packing. It’s just awful.

Weighing and reweighing my luggage to avoid weight limit fees and prying myself from something each time that I had deemed necessary has been no easy process. Even though I keep reminding myself that I’m going to another civilised country where I can purchase anything I need, but the freaking exchange rate that keeps dropping making me trying to lug everything if possible.

I think the only thing that excites me the most is to learn. To learn something new about new places and people, unlike myself and my usual surroundings. Hoping that by immersing myself into a different culture, I’m inspired to think in a manner differently than I ever have before. Probably I’ll acquire a new perspective or a new way of articulating opinions. Because I think if you are not constantly learning and pushing yourself to become a better person, then you are complacent. Complacency is not a good thing in a way.

I’ve had a lot of friends fly overseas in the past few years, and only now am I realising how much courage it must have taken for them to leave. I always thought it was easier to go than to be left behind, but now that I’m the one stepping onto the plane, I’m finding that notion challenged to a great degree.

There’s a silver lining in that: how lucky I am to have something that’s so difficult to part with – geographically, at least. I suppose bridges will be crossed when I reach them. 

For now, all I can do is to be grateful for the time I have left, and to spend it with the people that matter most.

[QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA 2015] - The Golden Coast! (Part 4)

After our late lunch and rested for awhile, we headed back to the Sky Point Observatory Deck for the night view.

Having our drinks at Waxy's Irish Pub

[QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA 2015] - The Golden Coast! (Part 3)

We had a really great view from our balcony. Had a great time whenever we spent our time at the balcony. Having our meals (breakfast and dinner) at the balcony and enjoying the view at the same time. Best feeling ever.

We bought roasted whole chicken from Coles and the chicken was so so tender. Cooked pasta for our late lunch. And bought Rosé wine. 

[QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA 2015] - The Golden Coast! (Part 2)

The day's itinerary was quite relaxing. We walked to the Sky Point Observation Deck from the beach. It's easy to locate Sky Point, just see the tallest building in Gold Coast and walk towards that direction.

Sky Point is the tallest building in Gold Coast and it's also one of the world's tallest residential towers. At the level 77, it offers spectacular 360° views from the surf to the hinterland and beyond.  

A perfect place in Gold Coast to admire the buildings, the beach, the blue sky, the turquoise-blue sea, tiny people walking on the beach and the tiny cars lining up at the traffic lights. 

Left: Spring Valley Apple Blackcurrant Juice
Centre: James Boag's Premium Light Beer
Right: Spring Valley Orange Juice

Having our drinks and enjoying the spectacular Pacific Ocean view.