Wednesday, July 11, 2012

An Early Morning Arrival = Lazy 2nd Day in GC


After last night late TV session for World Cup, The Day still start rather early for most of us. 9.30am. Just a 4hr sleep. It is time for Breakfast. We didn't have to travel far to find one. And for once, I thought I was in the wrong Continent. Europe? - Paris Fashion Cafe??

A Nice cup of coffee to start a lazy day.

And a Hearty Breakfast to compliment the Coffee. Now I am feeling hungry after that 7hrs on a flight eating mediocre in flight meals...

All of us look sleepy...haha...but no choice, can't waste a day just for sleeping. It is time to explore the surroundings.

These guys are perking themselves up with Orange Juice!!!

It was a rather rainy start in Gold Coast actually, make us wonder if this weather will continue into the weekend. But the sign on Traffic conditions for the Marathon is already up everywhere around town. GCAM seem like a really big thing here.

Decided to go get the food necessary for tomorrow breakfast @ Coles at the supermarket nearby. Return back to the Apartment to settle down a while, pack our groceries a bit before setting off for Harbourtown.

Tickets for buses in Australia can be super expensive. Though it was just like a 30 mins ride. It cost us 5AUD. Expensive. Since it is a rainy day today, the best thing to do is indoor activities, Shopping!!!

Rainy days definitely keep the crowds away or are we just late. Since most shop closed early else way but not Harbourtown which open till 9pm.

Decided to settle in a local Western Food Place for Dinner @ Nonnas. Choose the Fish for Dinner. Hopeful enough protein for the run....anyway rather high calories, so it should be call Carbo loading stage now

Wonderful Mushroom soup in a cup of bread....

The place was really dark, none of our hand phone was really good enough to capture enough light. But this is the decent enough photos of us.....haha..
The last event of the day is to find our ways back to our apartment.  We actually shop till all the shops are closed.. and it was a rather cold experience now with the wind blowing rather strong. 

Coming up tomorrow, Race Pack Collection.

Sunday, July 08, 2012

Flight to my First Oversea Marathon - GCAM


Been really excited about this trip. Waited almost half a year for it to arrived. Got a really good deal for a flight to Gold Coast,Brisbane, on Emirates, for just $650.

The guys were the ones out in full force and on time waiting for the fastest runner in our group,Miss Jenny

The guys decided to settle for Lunch at the Food Court first while waiting for the lady to arrive.

We proceed to our gate for boarding. All of us manage to arrive on time. Jenny Was the latest.

Though We are considered to be pretty early for our flight. It still took us a while waiting for everyone to arrive. Last call @ our Gate.

An 8hrs Flight to Australia, Brisbane, Looking forward. A small commotion broke up here though, they keep delaying us in the Economical class from boarding while still paging for business class and First Class passenger which I only see a few. What Privileged these people get for paying 3 to 5 time our price.

Though I was not on an SQ Flight, use to think that SQ have the World Best Entertainment system - Krisworld. The competition have just caught up. Emirates have touch Screen Display and probably a larger screen, tons of Games and movies on it all Look HD to me

Even their Controller comes with an LCD Display

Though we are not on a A380 Flight, Modern fleet nowaday are usually on the B777 which is definitely more spacious the B747 ages ago. The Large LCD on every seat are the main highlight of the flights.

U get to see your flight journey in 3D animation and also how the outside of the plane look like. YES, even when the Plane is in Flight. As the flight time to Brisbane took us about close to 7hrs. I really got alot of time to watch movies. Browse through the catalogues of movies, Identify 4 to watched. Act of Valor, Paranonormal activity 3, Journey to the Center of the Earth 2.

Entitled to a Dinner and Breakfast before landing at our Destination. Dinner coming up!!!

There seem to be only one choice, Chicken with rice. Wasn't too used to the Culture of the middle East people. I am totally surrounded by them making me feel so out of place. I wasn't seating with them as I brought my ticket later. The Air Steward all seem to favour them more than us, Chinese. It is even more prominent than SQ's Local vs Caucasian

We took a Cab from the Airport, boy was it a very expensive one. Cost us over 240AUD. Lucky we have 5 People to split the cost. The Place we will be spending the next 7 days, Meriton Apartments.

The Apartment is huge. Cost us about 600 Per person for 7 days. Quite a Good deal. We have a Large Kitchen to ourself. But too bad, none of us are good cooks.

We are actually quite in time for TV on World Cup, and the size of the Living room helps allowing all the guys to settle in together to watch a match together.

There are 3 rooms, each with a King Size bed. As most of us are guys, only 1 lady. The Lady took the room to herself, while the 5 guys share the 2 rooms.
Large and Clean washrooms as well. Will definitely helps in our Marathon Preparation...before the big day on Sunday.

After watching the match, It is almost 5am. We take a little nap before starting off early tomorrow morning.

Friday, July 06, 2012

Devotion - Lack of Faith for God's Provision


11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lordyour God.’”
13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer[a] for each person you have in your tent.’”
17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.
19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”
20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

This Chapter talks about God's Provision, Though the people complaint against God, God still provided for his people out of grace and compassion. I used to struggle at prayer life. I find it odd ward to pray and even pray for others as I was not good at words and my vocabulary is limited. I tried praying for others, and it turn out pretty short, find it so shortcoming, and started wonder if my Prayer for my fellow believers is shortchange. But some how, I make the step to start, it always start from me stepping out in faith to prayer because it is not with my power that my prayer works but it is God at work. I have a long way in my prayer life and I am making small little steps toward having a prayerful life.

About God answering my prayers. I do have doubt whether God will answer my prayers or not. As I still feel I am not obedient enough. Does God only Award an obedient believer? I realize I have a lack in faith in God, that is why I was disobedient, that is why I don see what God have done in my life. I often ask Dear, how come God choose to answer her request but I don have. She answered - She is more insecure and needed all these assurance. Do I really need less assurance? I realize that I didn't believe my prayers will come through, not until at work when God answered one of my complaint about a notebook and I actually got it without realizing it. Thank God for giving me this sign, I am not worth it, but now I know u are there for me.

Another worth mentioning part about this chapter is spritual food. It is our personal Responsibility to gather good according to our needs, we are to gather our own spritual food according to our needs. Else we will just remain standstill and when crisis comes, we will just fall away. Testimony and Sermon serve to compliment us on our journey toward a live with God in Control.

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Saying Farewell to a Nice Family - Irene & Her Dad

Though I don really know Irene and her Dad well. Their Sharing of what happen in their lives let me reflect on my life. How Bitterness and forgivingness can destroy a family. It really take a lot of courage and trust to built a Family.

But I am Glad, God use this incident to highlight to us this importance of guarding ourself of these traps. We make the choice to be bitter or not to forgive. Do I have Bitterness or Forgiveness  Probably, Work's Bosses and Friend's hurt come to mine. Got to work on it.....

Though there are some mishap, Irene's dad fell down while walking, but all is still well.
We meet up at the Airport to send Irene and her dad off. It was quite a big group, some of them I have not seen before. This picture tell us, though the past is probably unpleasant, the feeling of could have done better, but What matter is that we have each other. Seeing this picture, tell of how blessed Irene's dad is. Her relatives in Singapore didn't take heart to what happen in the past.

I sincerely wish them all the best. Especially Health for Irene's dad. Hopefully, we see them soon. 

One thing about this whole incident is that I got to know Irene as a Friend. Impression - Very sociable and approachable  She give me the feel that she don really guard herself. Very open person.Saying