Longing and Leaving again.

November 2019.

This month of every year has always been special because my sister's birthday is on the 16th as I'm on the 26th and the fact that our mom has always been extra about it but this year went even better. As a birthday present, my mom got us tickets to Perth.

Back to 2009, my dad got a scholarship and brought all of us there the year after. We stayed for two years and I was just 10, my sister was 12. It wasn't easy to adapt in foreign country especially at that age, we even told my dad we weren't happy with the news when he said we'll be staying there. We were angry to be apart from our friends, got out from our school and especially being away with our closest people to this whole different environment. We wouldn't want to go out to the park and the places our dad wanted to show and Skyped with our cousins instead. It did took a while to fell in love with the city, to fell in love with the people until it felt like home.
Ten years later, which is this year, who knew. Who knew we'd go back? I felt excited than ever but it's scary at the same time. I'm scared if time would go faster and we're gonna leave again, I'm scared facing the fact that this is just a temporary stay.

After hours on the plane, we finally see the blue sky again, felt the fresh air, took a pass at Swan River. It's as if nothing changes, at all. Even all the organized buildings remains the same, it felt like we just left yesterday. Before we head to our Airbnb we headed to James Mitchell Park to look at the city. It felt like it was too good to be true. Arrived in our home for the next 12 days,  we headed to Coles Supermarket to fill up our fridge and spent the entire afternoon unpacking.

My mom and sister was too tired to go out, so my dad and I walked together to Swan River. He looked so happy he even brought his camera so that he can took a shot of the city lights. There were food trucks where people gather on the grass and spend Fridays with their loved ones. My dad and I bought some french crepes and talked about our memories here. I wouldn't want to spend it with anyone else, because if it weren't for him, I may never know how it feels like to be here.

16/11/2019
My sister's Birthday! Which I posted a lot about on Instagram and gave her hugs like every 5 minutes because she's my everything. Having your sister as your best friend is probably the luckiest thing in the world and so far as we're both growing old now, nothing changes and i hope it never will. She's beside me when I'm at my happiest and rock bottom and having her as a sister is a blessing so, in a way, I kinda felt like it's my birthday too cos' God gave me her.
We went out to Coles Supermarket to buy some groceries, milks and everything to fill up our fridge during our stay. My dad made the tuna sandwiches which we'll bring as we go out later. We went to the city and the sun was setting as we rode the ferry.

17/11/2019

We were invited by one of my dad's old friend to have breakfast in his house, where his maid were able to cook all the local Indonesian food which my mother miss terribly already. Their conversations took a while since they haven't see each other in years so my sister and I took shots instead.

Before we go back to our Airbnb, we went to Bentley Street so we can pass by our house but sadly it was knocked down and collapsed into pieces. It was real sad must visit for us is IGA Supermarket, my sister and I used to walk from our house just to buy some snacks and other junk foods and we would eat chips on the playground til the it gets dark. 

Spent the whole afternoon at Fremantle, a friend of my mom from work was being our tour guide as we strolled around. Had a pretty little picnic as we watched the sun sets at Monument Hill, in front of Fremantle War Memorial.

'The Fallen Soldiers and Sailors Memorial'

Dad and I talked about reminiscing the memories
we had here.

18/11/2019

Long drive this time. Took a short stop at Nilgen where I felt like we were the only people on Earth, the sky was clear, the wind was flirty and we were surrounded by all the greens. 

Then finally arrived at Pinnacles Desert! It was full of limestone structures and some even stand as high as five meters but as time goes by, the coastal winds removed the surrounding sand and leave the pillars exposed to the elements. The wind was so hard I got sand in my mouth and eyes.

Ended the day by driving to this beach at Guilderton, but it's not like any other beach since it was connected to the Moore River. And slowly the sun sets and turned pink. It's been a really long time since the last time I saw a burning sky.

19/11/2019

A longer drive this time. Running far away from my hometown never feel so good and we went to Busselton Jetty. It is known cos' of it's longest timber pilled jetty in the Southern. The drive took a really long ride but we arrived at right time, the sun was bright as 12 p.m and the wind was alright. We took a picnic and ate our take away McDonald, fried noodles and the tuna sandwich we prepared at home. Looking at the seagulls and the beach and the trees made me wish we could just stay here as long as possible. 

summer as it should be.

This was already a good day so far and it actually got better than this. A friend of our mom told us that we could go to a higher spot to watch the sunset in a better spot and see the light house which would take 10-20 minutes from the Busselton Jetty.

chasing the sun through the driveway.

"Heaven is a place on Earth"
And I'm grateful to be alive.

20/11/2019

Visited Dad's campus and just seeing him reminisce all the years he had here as he walked down through the memory lanes made me happy. Seeing him as an alumni motivated my sister and I to get a scholarship too, hopefully.

Jasmin in front of the campus.

stop for coffees near the Faculty of Fine Arts.

And finally the moment I've been longing for. Meeting my best friend after almost 9 years of not seeing each other, which made it clearly we lost each other's contact. She's my everything back then and we were neighbors at the time and went to the same school. The short years with her felt like a movie and it was days when we would watch Hannah Montana, iCarly and Glee together.

Calvin and Sophinky.

Us 9 years ago.

Us now.

Our long talks passed the Elizabeth Quay bridge.

Hungry Jack's in the dark at St James Mitchell Park

It felt funny the facts that I spend this whole afternoon with 2 of my school friends 9 years ago cos' I didn't even imagine in the past years if we'd go here again, if we'd ever meet again.

21/11/2019

Paid a visit to dad's other campus, the one at Joondalup and it was huge. There's even a few who studied peacefully near the lake under the tall trees.

Lunch at Dad's campus rooftop which is dope.

It was too early to go back home so to Fremantle we go. Back on the years when we stayed, we either go to Fremantle or Harbour Town. We'd eat Subway during afternoon stroll and Japanese "TAKA" in the city for supper. It was a short visit and the place wasn't really crowded since it'sstill the weekdays. But we did bought a couple of souvenirs for our friends and family which took mom long enough. 

Had to make a stop for the blooming jacarandas
that got in our way.

22/11/2019

We called Sophinky up in the morning to company us pay a visit to our school in Bentley. It felt so scary. How does it feel visiting an old school where you had the best time of your life, living your childhood as it should be because it's far away from your own hometown and never thought you'd be far away from that place for a long time, didn't even ended graduated there. 

On all this long bench is where we would spend
our time during recess.

Then lunch with my favorite girl, Novita!
It's the kind of friendships that will never change
no matter how long we didn't see each other.

We went to the Blue Boat House but the color
has turned red to mark the arrival of
Manchester United.

Didn't thought this day still could get any better. We were arriving in our airbnb at the same time one of my mom's friend wanted to take us out for a girls' night so, dropped Dad off and headed to the city again. We went to this inner suburb called Northbridge, the night lights were everywhere and everyone was spending their Fridays with friends and lovers. There were underground clubs, cocktail lounges and bars all over the street Asian eateries! Supper at the Old Shanghai we go!

Ended up at Burswood

23/11/2019

Last day before going back! A day spent with the whole family, went to Applecross to see the Jacarandas Festival! The weather warm, everyone was out with their sunglasses and hats. The first thing that attracts me was this small orchestra that lots of people admire, hearing the sound of saxophones in this kind of local markets was my Sunday dream, if only there were spaces to dance. The place was fill with lots of stands where people sells jewerlies, tote bags, paintings and some stationary products inspired by the beauty of plants. 

Just had to buy snow cones, and waffles to.

Paintings sells inspired by the beauty of Australia.

Kids painting paper umbrellas.

Underneath the Jacarandas.

The day was ending and the sky was pink! It felt like minutes staying in our airbnb home and still can't believe it's time to go back to reality. But i was lucky enough to spent days here, it wasn't that long but we made the most of it. Perth will always be a second home to me. The endless picnics on the park, the goose and ducks that crowds the lakes, the city lights that reflects through the river, and the clear blue sky that sets to orange and pink through the afternoon. I'll cherish everything about it. And hopefully soon, I'll come again.