Retreat in Sydney

2019 was the year I was open to relaxing trips and making trips to meet people. Firstly, I was in Sarawak for a free and easy trip and visited a high school friend Michelle. Secondly, I was in Italy, with an aim to reunite with Michele. Then I sealed the year, spending Christmas and New Year with my university friend Russ. It was a lot of money spent yes, but none of them were wasted.

Australia somehow was definitely not part of the plan, I vowed before to not return for at least 20 years since my graduation in 2013. It's like, I have seen almost everything in Australia, probably more than an average Australian. But the heart wanted this trip for a reunion, and I also made a wish during New Year Day 2019 to spend the New Year Day 2020 in another country. Despite a premium on the flight ticket, I booked the trip.

I knew the time in Sydney will be very free and easy, I didn't plan anything but I knew I would do the usual year end review, start my bullet journal and work on my annual project. I launched this very website on Christmas Day. It was extra meaningful considering that the whole Annual Project idea was born in Canberra in 2015, and I worked on an annual project every year since 2016.

It felt like a retreat in Sydney as somehow Russ was the one feeding me food the whole trip. I ate very healthy and minimal. I launched the Annual Project 2020 there where the primary focus of the project was Diet. I did learn a couple of things about Diet from this 'retreat' - simply put a small portion, chew my food slowly, to feel satiated but not full and to make my food super tasty.

We did the Bondi-Coogee Coastal Walk. It dawned on me half way through the walk that I did half of this walk with my dad during winter 2013 when my parents were here for my graduation. The walk did feel very long, it didn't help when one was hangry at the same time. But it was scenic and I managed to clock it a workout during the trip.

One of the regrets I had was unable to go for the New Year Eve countdown in the city where Sydney has one of the most stunning fireworks display every year. It would have been a long day waiting for the countdown and the display. But I am one of those who subscribed to the New Year; New Start; New Hope thing so a good start to the year would have been nice. While my countdown was not spectacular, it was very cosy at home while strong winds swept the night and accelerated the bushfire in some areas that very night as well.

I did check out the city on New Year's Day however. Supposedly my final night in Sydney, I think I should have checked out Newtown instead of the touristy spot of the city. It was quite a walk trying to hunt food and quite a journey to get back as the train line to Russ' suburb was down. I left Sydney for Canberra but got back earlier due to the concern of bushfire. I sneaked in a catchup dinner with Nicole which felt like girly time all over from university days in Fenner Hall, had the biggest meal of the trip - a whole Marinara pizza and a cup of gelato all for myself. The wind was gushing while we walked from the city to the Harbour area. And truly enough, the bushfire worsened that night and the highway was closed for a couple of hours at midnight.

It was untimely for a return given the bushfire - Australia had been perfect for me during my studies, to see it at this state felt very devastating for this country I loved. But I am really glad I made the trip, to see Russ and Canberra. I think I would come back here a bit more often, probably every couple years or so, like Italy. Because why not?