A Short Trip to Melbourne

The Hubby and Kak Lang have already arrived home in Malaysia by now... alhamdulillah. They took the flight from Melbourne early this morning (1.40 am). From Adelaide, the hubby was supposed to drive with Kak Lang to Melbourne on Sunday (they had to bring back Bang Ngah's car) It wasn't exactly planned but at the last minute we decided that I would make the journey to Melbourne as well (wanted to spend more time with the hubby I guess..lol) and then take a flight back to Adelaide this afternoon. As we intended to spend the night on the road, we didn't start the journey early on the Sunday. In fact we had time to attend a friend's Eid feast and I managed to marinade 2 fish fillet and made fish ball vegetable soup before we started our journey...

Some pics at the friend's home:

Hubby making new friends

The hostess, Rusliza (PR in Australia) barbequing chicken which tasted heavenly (only marinaded with curry powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar)

The spread.. (somebody even brought apam balik - not usually home-made even in Malaysia)

Nasi impit and peanut sauce (traditional Eid food..)

Laksam? (people can get very creative in producing Malaysian food locally)

Hubby meeting someone from his kampong.. (what a small world)

We left Rusliza's (and hubby, Nizam - both from Negeri Sembilan, my homestate) house at about 12.30 pm to start off our journey. Here are pics taken along the journey:

Leaving Adelaide - Adelaide Hills I think..

Strange-looking plants along the way

Another one..

I thought I'd never see this sight in Australia..but I did, I did!

Vineyards..

You can't go too fast..and you can't go too slow.. (I think we had to creep to take this picture)

The daughter and the dinosaur..

We actually saw 2 kangaroos by the roadside during the night but I couldn't get the camera fast enough to shoot..arrgh!

Strange statues - didn't have time to read the signs as we wanted to reach the Blue Lake before sundown..

Trees planted for lumber - when are we going to follow suit?

Blue Lake at last - at Mount Gambier

Hubby - freezing (nearly sundown actually)

We parked in the seaside town of Apollo Bay at about three-ish in the morning for maghrib and isha prayers, slept in the car and woke up for the dawn prayer and slept again to start our last leg of the journey to Melbourne. More pics:

Stopped to check out the Split Point Lighthouse

Nearing Melbourne (through bug-squashed wind screen..)

We headed straight to Bang Ngah's house and after emptying the boot of the car (and using his bathroom) we went shopping! Yes, the hubby was here especially to stock up for his Corelle business. So off we went to Corelle heaven..

Boot of the car filled with boxes of Corelle bought in Adelaide

Bang Ngah's little house..

...also filled with Corelle

Breakfast first at Hava Kebab before serious shopping..

One kebab enough for 3 people..

Hubby in his Corelle heaven - calculating his profits I bet..!

Kak Lang and I window-shopped

Got myself a discounted watch from this shop

Kak Lang got herself a little handbag and a pair of 6-inch heels (how do you walk on those things?)

Hubby packing boxes of Corelle for shipping (tools specially bought from Malaysia)

Ready for shipment (had to be put outside the house cabin)

Dinner at Secret Recipe Melbourne Central (the manager paying, of course!)

The Cypress-Turkish Mosque for prayers

Inside mosque..

Before Bang Ngah send his Dad and sis to the airport, he drove me to my friend Joy's (of the Swimming with Joy entry) house for me to spend the night..so grateful for the comfy bed after a night in the car.. poor Hubby and Kak Lang had to spend their night..or rather early morning on the plane..

A comfortable bed to rest my weary limbs.. (thanks Joy)

So this afternoon I caught a (Virgin Airline) plane back to Adelaide. Bang Ngah dropped me at the airport.. An amusing incident after I went through the bag-check: I was one of the 'lucky' passengers to be chosen at random and be scanned for explosives (whoa.. and the lady officer was ever so polite, though..) and I thought I'm the sweet little old lady (okey omit the 'old') who doesn't pose as a threat to anyone!

Leaving Melbourne..

Arriving Adelaide..

Adelaide Airport

 Well that's my short trip to Melbourne..what a tiring 'holiday'..*sigh*