Cairns because you can can

Finally! After about three years of let's go and then let's not go, I dragged my parents to Cairns last Anzac day long weekend. This was a huge deal for me, as ever since I was 10 I had wanted to go to Cairns on a family holiday. Although, admittedly the desire has ebbed a little with growing up and having so many more exotic destinations becoming accessible and possible. I had discussed the matter with my parents a few months prior, but because of logistics and general parental inertia (I think it happens when you are retired) nothing was finalised until two weeks ago, and then I booked the plane tickets which meant we had to go!!!
Impressions? Cairns feels like a mix between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, a lot of the residences are similar in design to what you would expect from Brisbane suburbs, while the apartments and hotels are the type that one would tend to see on the Gold Coast except more sedate and less ostentatious. The landscape is also rather flat, and the highrises not so vertically impressive compared with the GC.
On the first day, after recovering from not sleeping the night before and our regrettable choice of fish and chips at an asian takeaway in a super doggy mall, we made our way to Palm Cove. Travelling North for about half an hour, we were struck with a heavy downpour on the way but it only helped to heighten the feeling of freedom and adventure.
Palm Cove is a lovely relaxed spot of the world, with a thin strip of goldy sands and expansive clear blue water. There are several islands just off the mainland, although they were tiny and did not look inhabited. The vibe at Palm Cove is a mix of upmarket and touristy kitsch. We walked on the beach, visited a few resorts to gawk at the gorgeous decor and just relaxed...it was a lovely gorgeous wonderful way to spend an afternoon.
We decamped with the last rays of the evening to Cairns, where my parents and I walked around Cairns city, it looked admittedly a little desolate, a lot of lit stores but few shoppers. Walking up and down the rows of stores, and narrowly just escaping my father's (who is highly biased towards Chinese cuisine) half hearted attempts at trying to direct us towards several tourist traps..we finally settled on a small Japanese Ramen joint, the food was decent the service attentive and fast. I had the spicy Ramen with paper think pork slices and some exotic dark vegetable drowned in their delicious collagen soup. My mother had the same and my father a variant with less oil. We also ordered a family serving of their dumplings. We were in and out under one hour, refreshed and ready to continue or rambling aimless walk. Our next stop was the Cairns night markets, which was disappointingly just a lot of vendors selling various tourist souvenirs...was mildly tempted to go for a massage for $10...but it looked too public for it to be within my comfort zone. We finished the self directed city tour fairly early and left for our comfortable rented apartment to sleep and prepare for the early departure the next day.

Further Ramblings

Old people, they are so sedate, so frail, so conservative. And in the case of my grandmother, so stubborn, so full of pride, so strong in spirit and unwilling to show weakness even to her children.
I find myself thinking of her from time to time, perhaps it is because it is close to qingming the traditional time when those who have passed are said to return briefly to earth.
There is always lingering sadness, regrets for what was not done, frustrations at chances lost, and always underlying that...the feeling that all the things that we work so hard for, all the grievances that we cling to, everything of everything was merely an act, an ant's life....a single flicker of light, a brief flurry of activity...before the great silence...and then I think why insist on so much, why cling so staunchly to things...because ultimately it all passes...the chinese have a great metaphor in describing wealth, power and fame...they call it clouds and smoke passing before your eyes...
Love perhaps has a greater longevity...but ultimately...it too will pass...perhaps with your passing...perhaps with his passing and the passing of all that remenber you have ever walked this earth...the buddhist call it emptiness...that everything is ultimately empty...except the search for enlightenment.
I won't pretend, that I am willing to let this life pass without striving, without loving, without longing...because my heart dictates otherwise...but tonight...remenbering my grandmother and her sad, strong, lonely life...I wonder...

Random Thoughts

It feels like a million years since I last blogged...a combination of reasons none of which seem good enough in retrospect, considering that I always made time for other frivolous indulgences e.g. 4 hour soapie marathon!

Random thoughts/update:
Have been watching a lot of random Youtube clips - e.g. what's in your purse, room tour etc...fairly similar in content but I nevertheless love that snippet glimpse into a stranger's life. I'm tempted to create my own what's in my purse video, but dislike the thought of my colleagues, peers stumbling upon it and drawing adverse inferences against my character, yes I am paranoid neurotic like that.
Planning for Japan/Korea, feeling excited...there is everything still to organise but the prospect of traveling to new exotic locations, especially ones that I have wanted to go to for a while is wonderful, and since my friend and I will not be traveling with a tour group, it feels so much more like an adventure.
3 month shopping ban, going strong...two month down as of today, only April to go! Haha, although I have since purchased nail polish and skin care...that can however be rationalised as essentials...yes I do need 5 bottles of OPI nail polish....dammit.
Recently discovered lush bath products...so divine...sinking in temperate water with it is like having your soul gently caressed...total bliss out.
I had a crush on this plum coloured quilted leather gold chain Marc Jacobs bag...super cute...saw it at DJs and have from time to time gone to visit it...but because of my self imposed shopping ban...have not been able to purchase it and recently about two weeks ago it was sold...sigh...self control does alas come at a cost.
Letting go, of someone I have had a secret crush on for the past year and a half...not easy...but it's time to stop being so visceral and impractical.
In love with Faye Wong's new song 傳奇, her voice sounds ephemeral, as if it does not belong to this world...there is a pristine purity to it. She sang the song during the spring festival broadcast for the Chinese lunar new year.
Have been trying to start a new art project, and although I can visualise the concept that I want, I'm currently battling significant inertia in the execution.
If I could rule to the world then I would...impose a single language for the world and abolish religion.