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<\/a>Zipping along the M2 highway<\/p><\/div>\n
And every time the bus crosses the Sydney Harbour Bridge, I will look out of the window to admire the beauty of the Sydney harbour with the white tiles of the Opera House shimmering in the morning sun. At that point I would give thanks to the opportunity I’m getting in living and working in this beautiful city.<\/p>\n
Work is also going well and I’m lucky to be working with people who are a nice bunch. Apart from work, I’ve been checking out the outdoors with bushwalks in national parks. The one I have been going to the most is the Blue Mountains National Park. I have found a group I like and have been joining them. I’ve been doing hikes of over 20km with over 1000m in elevation. Last Sunday, it was a 36.5km hike – a big loop around Katoomba and Mount Solitary – with over 2000m in total elevation. I was shattered at the end of it but the sense of achievement at having finished it was great. <\/p>\n
<\/a>View from the summit of Mount Solitary, Blue Mountains National Park, 7 May 2017<\/p><\/div>\n
A trip to the mountains is always healing and good for the soul. It’s great to reconnect with nature after a week at work and being in a concrete jungle. I’m always happy when I’m around nature. It’s calming as it puts things into perspective and takes my mind off the daily worries as I concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. Nature really is therapeutic.<\/p>\n
I caught up with a friend from Singapore for breakfast last week. I hadn’t seen him for seven years; last time I saw him was before I left for Hong Kong. He was in Sydney for work and he commented that I looked and sounded really happy from the way I spoke about my life here. He said it was so refreshing to see me so positive and full of energy compared to Singaporeans who are always complaining. <\/p>\n
That really meant something to me as it’s been awhile since I can say I am happy. I’m enjoying Sydney and I think the fact that I have bought a place gives me something to look forward to. I feel like I can sink roots here and it’s given me a sense of home. It’s a feeling I never got – and possibly would never get no matter how long I stayed – in Hong Kong. That’s probably because I could never afford a place of my own in Hong Kong and it’s not somewhere I could see myself retiring in.<\/p>\n
I think the other thing that has changed is my mindset. I’m more mindful about gratitude and I find that it’s a good way to cope with life’s disappointments. For example, I had been sad at being single and never ever being able to meet a special someone. Now I’m more accepting of the fact that I might remain single my whole life and completely miss out on the experience of being a mother. Of course it would be nice to have a life companion but failing which I’m able to survive on my own too.<\/p>\n
The thing is, I’ve got my shit together. And if I’m going to be with someone, he’d better have his shit together too. Otherwise, I don’t need someone coming along to mess up my life. There are pros and cons to being married as it is with being single. I choose to focus on the pros – the freedom to up and go whenever and wherever I want. It’s important to remind myself to count my blessings. I guess I’m more at peace with myself now.<\/p>\n
Of course not everything is rosy. I hate the high tax rate and the welfare system. It’s something I don’t believe in. But it’s the price to pay in living here so I just have to accept it. <\/p>\n
Anyway that’s Dimsumdolly in Sydney for the moment!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a few days I would have been in Sydney for four months. And I’ve been lazy in updating this blog. So here’s a little insight into my current life. I’m typing a draft of this post on my smartphone … Continue reading