Xmas & New Year Holiday Season 2012

This time around the Xmas and New Year's holidays season, I got some time and opportunity to exercise my favorite thing i.e. taking photos.

A friend visited us from Victoria and that was the ideal for me to show off my new DSLR and skills :P We went to only a few places like Manly Beach, Darling Harbor & Watsons Bay but managed to take few photos worth sharing here.

I am going to add them below. Feel free to leave a comment/feedback (if you happen to crash on this blog).

I took this photo at Manly beach. This was some type of a cone on a tree and I liked how it looked. Quickly took this shot while there were people behind me coming down the narrow track.

 This was at Watsons Bay when it started to rain and we were waiting inside the cars for it to slow down so that we can setup our BBQ in the shed in the park. I took this shot of the rain drop on the car's window. You can see the reflection of the building across the street in it.













Taken at Manly Beach as well.

 This was at the Manly Beach as well. Kept it out of focus for the added affect of the lights. Love it.

These little fountains are like brand-ambassador for the Manly Beach. When you see these, you know it was the Manly beach :P



















Overall had good fun with friends during the Xmas & NY break. Good food, lots of driving (mainly around Sydney) and lots of fun. It was a good holiday (but never enough) :(

Anyway, happy new year to everyone !!

Another 5K Run @ Balmain Fun Run

Note: I started this post last month but only could finish and post it today

Within a month of the last run Run4Fun, I registered for another run and this time it was a longer run i.e. 5K compared to last 3K run. This was on 2nd December and event was called BalmainFunRun.

Once again my running buddy-cum-mentor-cum-running adviser-cum motivator AF encouraged me to register and run in this 5K event. In total 3 of us (I and my work-colleagues AF & AW) participated and we all did very well. It was a beautiful weather on Sunday morning as I call it 'nice running weather' with overcast sky, bit of cool breeze and water-side running track with other runners.

Run start time was 8:30 and I was aiming to keep my finish time under 30 minutes - owing to the fact that I have not been running regularly in last two weeks. The track was different to what I have been running on and I didn't know if it would include uphill / downhill run as well. When the run started and we took the first turn on the track and came towards the end of the ground where the run started from, suddenly track wen uphill and that put me in the first gear, exerting the sweet energy I wanted to reserve for the last 10 mins of the run. The heart beat jumped up to the tops and that's how the run begin. The next 5K went in forcing myself to push and keep running till around the corner and then switch to walking for a minute before resuming the run.

In the end I managed to force and push myself enough to complete the complete run without stopping and within 30 minutes. To be exact it took me a surprising 25 minutes and 36 seconds. That made me happier than I was for completing the 5K runing.

Here is the winning shot from the collection of the run.

At the finish line they arranged for some fresh fruit and drinks. Enjoyed the fruit, did some stretches and went for a coffee with the team.

Next run - City2Surf may be ?

Nostalgia - Sahiwal - Home

9th November 2012 00:00 hours : Sydney - Australia.

It is heavily raining outside and I can hear the sound of heavy downpour inside my living sitting at the kitchen bar stool listening to old indian music "Wo Kaghaz Ki Kashti". Totally nostalgic atmosphere and I am missing my birthplace, my city, my home in Pakistan. I stepped into the balcony and let my feelings and memories take me back home standing in my courtyard at night time when it is raining heavy as well in the summer season. I still remember when it used to rain this heavy (any time of the day) while enjoying the initial moments we used to get worried and pray to the ALMIGHTY to make it stop because too much rain was bad for us and our neighbourhood. Old houses below the street level and heavy rain with the help of poor drainage system used to create more tension for the people than to enjoy the change of weather as summer season is usually very hot and dry there.

I love rain, specially of summer season and at the start of winter season. I loved to take shower in rain and I still do. It is refreshing, joyous, mood changer for me. It always remind me of my hometown, my home street, my childhood time and friends. It brings happy memories of those times when I was not aware with the meaning of tension / responsibility and all I knew is to change into shorts and shower in the rain. Go out with friends on the streets in the rain, play and enjoy it. Years gone by, I would still do this (in fact have done it last season here in Sydney) because it makes me happy.

This post may give an impression of me of a person who likes to live in the past, but that is not true. The fact is that while I do like to recall and cherish the old times, but I do not live in the past. I do take time to recollect the good, happy memories of the past times but that is about it. Stop, recall, rejoice and resume.

I think you should never forget your past because it has made you what you are today.
Rather remember your past, learn from it and invest it into your future.

Opera House & Harbour View

Taken with my mobile (HTC One X) few weeks back, this is one of my favourite.

Panoramic Harbour View from my Mobile

Taken one very fine afternoon.

One Hour of my Lunch Break

During the one hour of lunch break I prefer going out for a brisk walk around the block in North Sydney, where I work. It is beautiful around that time when sun is out and shining.
One one such lunch break, I took this walk through the North Sydney Oval Park and there I got a chance to try the camera of my new mobile because the park had so beautiful and rich colours around and it compelled me to capture these on my mobile. A few of these shots I am posting here. The beauty I see in these just make me praise the nature and the creator of all this, ALMIGHTY ALLAH.
It is just so beautiful – I am loving Sydney !
Beautiful addition of the red pole right in the middle of lush green trees.

Walk way & fallen leaves with beautiful scenery in the backdrop.

Sitting benches among trees

Pakistan 2012 - Part 2 Memories

Yay! going to visit family and friends in home country. Pakistan 2012 - Part 1

Aaah! that time of the life of an Expat has come and gone in a flash. It never feels enough time when you are on a holiday visiting your family and friends. Anyway this time the trip was special because little me came home for the first time and it was kind of a surprise visit as we reached one week earlier than what we told our families. So it was all very exciting for us and the surprise was very received as well. Everyone was very happy to see us  home earlier than expected.

Musa's grand parents were very ecstatic to meet him and his uncles and aunts were eager to pick him up. And he loved being the center of attention among all. His (late) phuppo gave him a nick name (which she never ever have given to any other kid), Mithoo.She left everyone of us grieving few days after we've arrived and that was the worst thing that happened during the visit. May her soul rest in higher places of Jannah.Ameen.

In the same time, Butt family was also visiting Pakistan from Sweden and that let Musa meet his cousin brother Ehan and cousin sister Zainab. It was such a pleasure watching grand parents, uncles and aunts loving their grand son that I so wanted them to live with him so that he gets to enjoy their love. However not every wish can be fulfilled, so I just had to agree with the reality that didn't match the wish. He also received  many gifts from them and that caused our luggage to easily cross the allowed luggage limit.

Another highlight of the trip was the delicious Pakistani food that I tried to eat as much as I could in that limited time I had. Although I could not eat all that I thought but still enjoyed whatever I can. For example I had the Hardees Super Star with curly fries at least 4 times during that trip. I just love it !!

The coming back of such trips is always toughest thing for me and it made me feel sad even before I landed there. Thinking about returning makes me home-sick and even though I have been on these trips now for at least 4 times but I think not over it yet. On our way to Allama Iqbal International airport Lahore, I was stuck in a traffic chaos on the Canal road near the Mall Road exit. It took me about 40-50 minutes to get through that chaos and it was then found out that the Police had blocked the under-pass of the Mall road (probably due to some VIP movement - bloody VIPs). It almost costed me to miss my flight. I was very annoyed and I feel bad for the locals that they had put up with that non-sense every day.

Another drama at the airport was at the check-in counter that took sometime before it reached it drop-scene. We were the last one to get the clearance at the check-in counters and through the passport control counters. Musa behaved well on-board and that made our air-travel better that what we thought it could be.

Now that we are back, I am already thinking to plan my next trip in an year's time rather than after 2 years and hoping that I can actually go back in an year's time. Let's see !!

Pakistan 2012

Despite a bit tragic end of 2011 (reference to blog "Goodbye 2011"), 2012 has started with lots of excitement for me as I (and family) will be travelling to Pakistan to visit families and friends. It will be first overseas trip of Musa when he will meet his grand parents, uncles, aunts and cousins.  Everyone there is anxiously waiting to meet little one as they all are counting days (just like we are). Yes this is very exciting !!!

The preparation for such a trip is multi-folded that includes, 1-shopping, 2-shopping, 3-shopping and packing of those shoppings :P and I'm glad that the major part of this preparation is completed (well almost). The packing cannot start until the last 48 hours before we get on-board. 

This time I'm going home after about two years and there are a lots of things to do when I get there. One of the most important (after meeting family of course) is to eat all sorts of local/desi food, hmmm yummy (even the thought of that). The top of the list is 'Halwa Poori', 'Hareesa', 'Muhammadi Nihari', 'Kali Mirch Walay Chanay', 'Bundu Khan ki Handi, Reshmi Kabab, Malai Kabab', 'SnP ka Stuffed Chicken Breast', 'Nadeem Tikka', 'Bhayye k Kabab', 'Liberty Burger', 'Dahi Bhallay' and rest of the list is very long :P 

Along with all the excitement, there is a bit of worry about health that I hope the trip goes without any health issues. The shortage of electricity and gas will also make this trip interesting, aah! There will be lots of travelling involved within Pakistan (I'm expecting although I'd prefer otherwise). 

The trip is going to begin in few days now and I can already see myself at the halwa poori shop, early in the morning "doing the justice" with my craving for it :D

Here is a "screenshot" of the image that I have in my mind, for you :P

With sincere apologies from those having a weak heart :P