Bus on Fire

At 5:23pm, there was a bus that caught fire on the Harbour Bridge yesterday. Of allll the places in Sydney, why did it have to catch fire on the bridge and during peak hour??? Even half an hour later would've been better, or like 1km after leaving the bridge. 

I hopped onto my bus and the driver was saying something which I didn't get. Felt it was strange not many people at the bus stop/on the bus/many buses coming in. Checked Trip View and saw this:

noooo

Yay for Telstra Air at my bus stop, but nooo, it would take at least 2 hours to get home from the city, normally a 30min drive or 1hr bus ride. I asked the driver and he said that he just had to wait for the roads to clear. After sitting on the bus not moving for 20mins, decided to catch the train.

Kent St onto the Harbour Bridge, cars legit not moving for kilometres...

The train station felt like HK. By then it was around 6:15, and it was packed. Saw a friend's snap an hour ago and people were lining up outside the station, because there wasn't even enough room to go down the escalators to the underground trains. So thankful my mum is the type who can pick me up whenever there's a need. I really don't understand other people's parents who always have to make their child find their own way home even if it's like midnight, or they just have to get their friends to give a lift even if it's not even convenient for the friend...

Bus was still stuck there...

When the train went over the bridge around 6:45pm, they opened 3 north bound lanes, but the bus I was initially going to catch still didn't move at around 7pm. So glad I decided to catch the train since got home just half an hour later than normal. My closest train station was also so crazy at 7:15pm. Normally everyone would be home by now, but people from neighbouring suburbs came to pick people up. It was actually quite crazy, and you actually can see how important buses are for the Hills.

I guess luckily no one got injured in those flames, and better in evening than morning, where going to uni on time was kind of on the verge of a mini heart attack, esp if you were late for clinic/pracs/exams. I normally allow an extra hour for traffic accidents, but for bus fires, I guess I need to allow for 2...

#hillslyf

There are more bus frustrations, but I think that's enough for this post.

Don't even want to work both days again this weekend, was planning to go out and eat/do some study, but I guess I should be grateful I have a job. At this rate, don't even know if I'll have a job once I graduate.

Bennelong

An impromtu dessert involved going to the Opera House. First time stepping inside, and wow-that architecture is so on point. The area is so vast and spacious, along with harbour views at night is a beauty. I love how Bennelong can still take walk ins at the bar for dessert. Most places you have to have either a 3/4 course meal or a degustation in order to have their signature dessert, or just a well known dessert, but here you can just come for dessert! More high end restaurants should allow for desserts only (although they probs won't profit since you've taken a space for dessert compared a person who's sitting through a degustation...) I guess the bar here is a good option, although there are limited options, they have the 2 desserts on the bar menu which I've been wanting to try. 

inside a sail of the opera house

bar

the 8th chocolate element (sauce)

chocolate cake from across the water-$28

inside

Wow, that super thin piece of tempered chocolate being melted is quite superb. 8 different textures of chocolate is amazing. It does become a bit rich and sweet after a while 9and I'm not a massive chocolate fan), but it had all the textures you can ask for: soft, smooth, crisp choc, crunchy base, melt in your mouth pieces. If I didn't see the video of its construction, I would be able to easily distinguish 6 different textures, the last 2 were a bit less distinct. Pretty sure this used to be at Quay a while ago, but they moved this dessert here, hence the 'across the water.'

Cherry Jam Lamington-$28

inside

This was in a pressure test on MasterChef, and seeing them making and constructnig it, you definitely know you got your money's worth. it takes the core essential of the Aussie lamington, but completely transforms it. It's actually not really sweet, rather the flavours of each element really come through. It comes with that smoking nitrogen, and once that clears you see the cake. Cut into it, there's the cherry ice cream which is still cold after a lot of photo taking. The ice cream flavour is full of flavour, yet holds back on the sweetness. There's an acidic cherry jam part in the centre. Then there's the sponge which you'll find in a lamington at the base, just the perfect amount of sweetness. The coconut shavings on the side are amazing. They completely melt in your mouth, but not on the plate. Never tasted something so smooth, cold, creamy but not rich, refreshing, and super flavourful and light at the same time. Coconut but reinvented. I would actually come back for a proper dinner and order this dessert again (:

Sake Jr.

Pitt St Mall food court on level 5 has changed quite a bit recently. On their first day of opening they had  500 bowls for free, and I made it just in time to grab a freebie and try this place out.

It's kind of a new concept with Japanese food (not run by Japanese), and a modern fusion of other cuisines. You line up to pick a base, a protein, a sauce, and then unlimited veggies and other toppings/ garnish and they fill your bowl in front of you. Each one costs $15. They also have other sushi, juices and snacks available,

so many choices...

Bao bun, black bean wagyu beef, beans, sweet corn, seaweed

There was quite a lot of stuff going on even though they didn't feel the bowl to the brim. They gave me 3 bao buns, and chose this since I haven't had them for a while. The bad thing about them is that they soak up too much of the sauce/drssing so because soggy after a while rather than moist. The guy tried to get the beef from the bottom since the top was dusted in chilli in the serving bowl. Beef was tender, but tasted like normal beef rather than wagyu. It was quite oily and saucy as well. Veggies were well dressed in their own sauces/dressings, plus the apple soy ginger, hence at the bottom of the bowl you have all this liquid. I think udon would have been a better choice, or else try to pick things whivh aren't already cooked in sauce to avoid a mix of saltiness when you reach halfway. 

This was surprsingly not sweet. The cookie was really thin and soft without being crumbly, and chocolate layer was quite thin. Red bean strawberry flavour was subtle, but better than being artificially sweet. Would actually recomment this ice cream sandwich, probably the least sweet one I've had. I have a sweet tooth, but when you combine a sweet cookie plus sweet ice cream it's too much (unless it's not artifically flavoured...)

Gaynetto

This time of year when we start stocking our 4 fridges with ice cream, hehe.

It's even more disappointing than the ice-cream. They are on sale at woolies, 4 for $5 (normally $7), but they're only 70g each, so super light compared to normal Cornettos from my childhood days...Couldn't taste much of that crumb which is pretty much the best part of a normal Golden Gaytime. There was too much chocolate sauce on top an too much chocolate at the bottom of the cone. The ice cream itself lacked flavour. Even the tub version has more of that toffee and vanilla flavour, although the crumb is weirdly soggy. The original paddle pop remains the best.

The sermon today was a really good reminder of God's grace. Just like a download, if it stops at 1% or 99%, it has still failed. No matter what how great or small things we have achieved or not achieved, we have all fallen short, and only through God's grace we are not lost but saved (:

Four Ate Five

This place had been on my list to eat for over 3 years, and finally decided to come here for a long overdue catchy up!

2xbaked eggs and 2xcapps

baked eggs: almonds, feta, moroccan tomato sauce, toast-$18

this yolk was good (the other a bit too cooked)

I heard good things about the baked eggs here so was keen to try it, and my first and last baked eggs for Winter. The first bite was good, but after the second, I knew it was going to get even more salty. I think the feta was a nice addition to add some creaminess, luckily they did hold back since it would've gotten even more salty. Loved the almonds for a bit of crunch. One of the eggs were cooked well, and both eggs looked like it covered the whole dish, but I thought there was a bit too much tomato in proportion with the egg. There was a good amount of spice in the tomatoes, just too much salt, not enough acidity or something to break through all the salt. The bread was toasted nicely, but not enough bread to help balance out the sauce as well.

regular cappuccino-$4 (soy behind, extra 50c)

Coffee was decent, and price of $4 is expected for Surry Hills, but we were a bit disappointed that both coffees weren't filled to the rim. Where is the lovely nice layer of foam you would normally find in a capp? It was a good drinkable temperature, but I think it could have been a bit more milkier. Flavour of the coffee wasn't overly strong.

iPhone 7

Looking back at my blog posts, i actually did give some thoughts on previous iPhone 4s/5/5s and various iOS, but not 6 and 6s. I guess things did change with Steve Jobs passing, and although I completely love Apple and iPhone, it's not as innovative as I would've imagined. Also still sticking to my current iPhone 5 because of it's nice size which fits into pockets, and small pockets inside my handbags and wristlets/pouches.

Finally a water resistant iPhone! Not water proof though...so not sure if I can take photos underwater with it...I'm used to having one port on my current MacBook, but at least there's a separate headphone jack. Even though I'm the weird person who doesn't listen to music, I still like to watch my Snapchats  vids with earphones, and half the time I use my noise cancelling earphones to block out surrounding sounds. People are definitely gonna lose those $200+ AirPods. Also for once, the iPhone isn't slimmer. It used to get slimmer every year until the iPhone 6. I guess they have to change other features, and pause the thinning process for now. The Jet Black looks super shiny on the website, wonder what it'll look like irl.

Apparently there's not gonna be a 7s next year, rather an iPhone 8 since it'll be the 10th yr of the iPhone. 8 is one of my fav numbers (because August and other stuff), so hope my phone can last till then...

Forced myself to go swimming this morning but couldn't go for long since I had to rush back to shower then catch up hourly bus to uni. Had an ulterior motive: exercise then eat burgers and chips for lunch.

Not sure if you guys read this, but thanks to my Optom girls for the tde and Pandora! The latter was unexpected haha. Can't wait to use them! The packaging is so on point as well. With presents, it's always the thought that counts, so thanks <3

It was a good surprise after another long day at uni, to the point I didn't even have time to unbox the gifts until I got back home. Was so tired yday that I wasted a practice session since I didn't get a patient...

I know I screwed up mid sem (my one and only for this sem) yday. Got all the 'easy' questions wrong, and changed answers to the wrong ones... wasn't thinking straight.... At least I recognised the words unlike first sem where there were all these drug names which I haven't seen before...and we're technically supposed to know the stuff from last year...Regret not getting a coffee since I was so close to sleeping in the exam. I knew I didn't try/really study for the exam, so can't really complain that much. You know when you try your best and then still do bad, then that feels worse, which wasn't the case this time round...goodbye easy marks...

I think I'e been oversleeping...so tired each day...