Wharf Road and Market Square

It was a fun-filled weekend with Rachel. We left her house at around 11.20 am, only to miss the 231 bus which stopped at Jesmond. In order to save time, we decided to take a leisurely stroll there instead. Rachel told me that the names of streets are named as such for a reason. For example, street names that end with the word "close'' usually means that this particular street leads to a dead end. Street names ending with the word "crescent'' probably means that the street has a long winding road. Street names ending with the word "parade'' may mean that the street consists of a long, straight road. Interesting facts for thought, aren't they?

Both of us shared a refreshing coconut ice blended shake at Gloria Jean's, for we were feeling thirsty after walking a longer distance under the blazing sun. After the cooling treat, we proceeded to take the bus 101 to Wharf Street, where Blue Water Pizza was located, for our lunch. The bus journey lasted for about half an hour. It was Rachel's first time dining there, and according to her, it was a gourmet restaurant, for the food was really costly. One small plate of calamari rings cost more than $11! We ordered 3 dishes, a wood fired pizza, garlic and cheese bread and the calamari rings. I was quite disappointed by the measly servings and the exorbitant prices. Nevertheless, we still had a nice chat over lunch. I still remembered that I went there during Cherlyn's 22nd birthday celebration more than a couple of months ago. As usual,there were many seagulls flying in the vicnity, for there was a harbour with a panaromic sea view.

Since our hunger pangs were not completely satisfied after lunch, we went to buy ice-cream. I tried an unique ice-cream flavour, called Triple swirl. I have never seen such a colourful scoop of ice-cream before, for it was pink,green,blue and yellow in colour. I could not figure out the exact flavour of the dessert, but its sweetness was heavenly. We took several photos on the mid position of the lighthouse-like tower which was just a stone's throw away from the restaurant. Our plan was to climb right to the top, which meant overcoming 180 steps before reaching an elevation of 40.3 m above ground level. Unfortunately, the second half of the spiral staircase leading to the summit was locked.

Next, we crossed a bridge and reached Market Square, which is an open air shopping centre. There were many items which were on sale, especially clothes. Ironically, I seemed more fascinated with the trees which had yellow and red leaves that surrounded the place. In addition, I wasn't in the mood to shop as I had forgotten to bring my wallet out with me the previous day. But, my moodiness was significantly lessened when Rachel brought me into a bookshop. She recommended several books to me, such as " Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus'' and books by Danielle Steel. To be honest, I haven't been reading actively for at least a decade. But self help and motivational books are still appealing to me. The books are expensive, so we could only afford to browse through instead of buying them.

The bookshop closes really early at 4 pm, so we had no choice but to head for home. This time, we took bus 108 back to my place. The setting sun illuminated the sky to a mystifying orange hue. I have never paid so much attention to the sunset back in Singapore. Rachel has an excellent sense of direction, for she has always managed to lead me to the exact bus stop which could bring us to our intended destinations. As for me, I am quite hopeless in directions, especially in a foreign country. Interacting with new friends make me realise that I actually a lot of life skills to master. But, I am really thankful for the golden opportunities to widen my general knowledge.

All these while, I have also been learning Malay and Cantonese words from Rachel. And, I have also taught her some Singlish words. This is literally like a cultural exchange. It makes me even feel more blessed to be the 1 out of the 2 chosen ones to go for an exchange program. The experiences that I have garnered, regardless of good or bad, serve as invaluable life lessons. Hopefully, I will become a more matured girl after my exchange stint has ended. Plus, having more self confidence and a higher level of emotional quotient.

As usual, Rachel cooked up a storm for dinner, after her 2 hour beauty sleep. This time, she whipped up hokkien mee with Chow Mein sauce, together with the usual dose of frozen condiments. The amount of food was quite big, but we managed to finish all of it nevertheless. The noodles were tantalizing to the tastebuds and leaves you craving for more. The two of us share a common interest, which is savouring delicious food. However, Rachel is more adventurous with experimenting with new recipes, while I am just too lazy and would prefer to rely on instant food instead of preparing the ingredients from scratch.

Although I have only known Rachel for less than 3 months, I feel as if I have known her for a few years, for we could talk to each other about anything under the sun, no matter whether they were serious issues or just cracking childish and hilarious jokes. Feel totally at ease in her presence, in comparison with the involuntarily feelings of apprehension and nervousness when I come into face to face with the party of 4. It sounds totally absurd but I cannot help it. Hopefully I will be able to manage my emotions better after Rachel's sincere advices of goodwill.