The hours rush by
And day turns to night
And night turns into day
And we exist
In a muddle of crowds, aspirations and emotions
Craving for a change
For time to still
For the day to dawn
For the storms to pass by
These Nights
These nights, these nights, these hazy nights
Eyes wide open, mind unclear
These days, these days, these days
Things just dont feel right
Eyes wide open, heart unsure
I’ve been here before, I can’t say I dont know
I’ve walked down these roads before, sat through the same show
I know how it all ends, I know just how this going to go
You see, the map has changed, the terrains will shift,
the weather won’t be the same anymore
But there will be a new path to follow
Because with change, comes healing.
– For the minds that continue to race into the depths of the night
Wishful Thinking
“There has to be a way to fix everything
a magical glue that sets the world right
every broken heart, every broken dream
every broken bone, and every broken link
magically glued to work right
Everything lost found again
Everything that hurts, fixed with time.”
Fireworks
And when I have lost my sparkle
don’t you worry
For I will find my own light
All I need
is for you to be at my side
Ready for the fireworks
Broken
You are so broken, it’s almost beautiful.
Like a cracked porcelain vase
A memento of the great beauty it was
A reminder of the great storms it has passed
And time will not put you together again.
Because that would mean undoing its art.
But for each little fragment of yourself that you have lost
You are a little closer to who you are.
Touring Tasmania
There are two things that top just about every other pleasure in the world – writing and travelling ( for me anyway). I have had a chance to do a little bit of both these past two years.
Two friends and I had been sitting on the idea of a graduation trip for some time. We finally decided to put it into action in September. We wanted an environment slightly different from Singapore’s, and Tasmania fit perfectly. Tasmania’s natural beauty and laidback lifestyle are a fresh change from the skyscrapers and hustle and bustle of Singapore.
Day 1
We had deliberately timed our trip such that we would get a morning at the popular Salamanca Market – an outdoor market that is set up every Saturday. It had a variety of local produce and food, and we spent our morning sampling everything we could. We grabbed some coffee, German bratwursts and baked potatoes.
The afternoon comprised of a trip to the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. I had assumed that this was similar to a zoo. It is actually a wildlife rescue service that is funded through the entry fee of visitors. The sanctuary aims to rescue and heal animals until they are well enough to return to the wild. All of the staff here were incredibly friendly and their love for the animals was obvious. (My favourite part of this was playing with the Kangaroos)
Our day ended with Fish and Chips, and some of the freshest Bruny Island Oysters at Fish Frenzy. I was never a huge fan of oysters but the oysters I tried here left me craving to come back for the rest of the trip.
Day 2
Our Day two comprised of a trip up to Mount Wellington. We had planned on hiking down to the Cascade Brewery, grabbing some beers and lunch, and then heading up to Mount Wellington. Coming from Singapore and its mountains ( which really are just big hills), we hadn’t quite estimated the distance of the hike we were planning.
We started off our hike pretty well, came to a dead-end at an old closed off trail to the brewery and then ended up cabbing down to it 🙂 The Cascade Brewery is the oldest operating brewery in Australia. It provides a guided tour on the history of the brewery and the types of beers it hosts. We were really set on climbing Mount Wellington so we skipped this, grabbed a couple of pints and lunch and headed off. Aside from the really good beers, the restaurant serves really good food.
Our trek up to Mount Wellington wasn’t turning out very successful either so we cabbed up to the mountain as well. The journey up to Mount Wellington is absolutely stunning, and the views from the peak were breathtaking. We ended up waiting to catch the sunset before heading back.
Day 3
My friends and I were really keen on taking a tour of Port Arthur. It looked beautiful in all the pictures we had seen and there was a nightly ghost tour (which we were really curious about). Our third day was set aside for this.
Port Arthur is one of Australia’s most important heritage sites. It was an exile colony for hardened British convicts in the 18th and 19th century. It is currently preserved as an open-air museum.
I have to say, I was pretty impressed by how Port Arthur managed to provide tours of the island while being respectful towards the convicts it had housed. Upon entrance, visitors are given a card each. Each card is matched to a drawer (as in the picture below) and when pulled out, the drawer details the life of the convict who had spent his or her time at Port Arthur. This was pretty cool and informative.
On the topic of our ghost tour though! It wasn’t the kind of creepy we thought it would be. There were tales of the lives of convicts and their hardships intertwined with spooky encounters people had had over the years, in the penitentiary or the church. It was eerie at that time of the night but it wasn’t scary.
Also, slightly before our trip into Port Arthur, we managed to fit in some other sights at the Tasman National Park. We had a really friendly Uber who showed us around the park.
We had another half day in Tasmania for breakfast before catching a plane to Melbourne. The three days there definitely left an impression though and I already want to head back.
–
On a funny note!
My friends and I had been expecting the spring season when we headed down and our beach clothes and light outfits were ready. There was a lot of planning on aesthetic pictures in the sun. As a precaution, we had thrown in a warm top or two, and a few jackets, just in case it got colder than we’d planned on.
There was, as in all trips with friends, just a slight hitch. Winter hadn’t quite passed Tasmania and the hottest temperatures in the days were at 15-16 degree Celsius. The temperature easily dipped 3-degree Celsius at night. Which was a pretty big shock.
But we eventually learnt to work around it by layering clothes and being back in by 6pm on most days.
A Note
A note to the writers and dreamers
Someday, you and I will be running along beaches with the night breeze running through our hair. Someday, we will be lying carefree in chaise lounges with the soft touch of the sun in our face
Someday, we will be sitting by rivers and reading our books; without a care of what is to come or what is to be done. Someday, the smell of rain, of spring and of summer, will fill our hearts and we will be content
Someday, someday very soon, the tide will turn and the world will be ours again
Healing
I have meandered a thousand incomplete thoughts
Wandered through the unfamiliar terrains of my mind
I have picked my way through the sharp shards
left from the words I have said to myself
And after all these years, meeting myself
felt like taking a breath of fresh air
After suffocating in the stagnant breath of a lifetime
Statue of Alabaster
I saw a statue of alabaster
unaware of the fragile heart that rested within
I admired the smooth supple skin on its surface
blind to its guilt and its sin
I saw a statue of alabaster
an object of idolation,
and a desire burned within
to be a statue of alabaster,
always poised and serene.
Curtain Call
Honey,
I know the clouds are there
And a storm looks imminent
There will be flashes of lightning
And there might be thunder
And the whole sky is going to put up a show
You don’t have to be afraid though.
Just sit back, open your eyes and empty your mind.
The performance is almost over
And life will go on again.
