Taiwan 2018 ~ Of Cats and Hidden Lanes

One of the joys of travelling, and especially travelling solo, is being open to unexpected changes to your plans.

I met a cat in a stationery shop.

I looked for “Hidden Lane Cafe” and ended up in a different “Hidden Lane”, but still enjoyed my time exploring the area nonetheless, and ended up getting a nice gift for a friend at one of the nearby shops.

It all works out. Eventually.

The Jacaranda Petal

It was a day for pictures. The sky had just the right amount of clouds. The air was crisp and fresh. The temperature was not too warm. It was, in all aspects, a perfect late spring day.

A single jacaranda petal on the bridge’s ledge. So beautiful it made my heart race with the excitement of capturing it on camera.

In 5 seconds, the focus was adjusted, aperture fixed, shutter pressed. Picture captured. The single petal on the bridge. Then the picture reviewed, to make sure I had gotten it right.

2 seconds after I had taken the picture, I looked up from the camera. I realised, with a start, that the petal was gone. A gust of wind had come, and it floated down to the river below, joining the other petals, bobbing along the banks.

The moment was gone.

In a moment of insight, I wondered if, in my efforts to capture the “perfect” picture of the petal, I had sacrificed experiencing the essence and beauty of the moment, getting caught up with camera settings and technicalities instead.

What I have now is only a replica of that moment, a reminder of the moment I missed.

How many times in life do we chase after what we feel are the bigger things, the larger goals, the seemingly more important things, only to realise that we have missed what we had right in front of us?

The little things. Always go back to the little things.

Brisbane Botanic Gardens // Mount Coot-Tha

I took the wrong bus, alighted at a not-too-friendly stop, had to ask for directions, but eventually… I made it.

It was only after coming back to Sydney when I realised the stark contrast between the flora and fauna. Greater appreciation of climate and vegetation now, something I haven’t felt since my geography-studying days.

Rose Garden

 

Light Light

Golden hour at The Bravery.

Seasonal Concepts

While walking along the streets of Redfern,  it’s easy to guess how this shop caught my eye. I peeped in, and it looked like a totally different world!

122 Redfern Street, Redfern

Purple

Since Spring started, I’ve been seeing an increase in these purple blooms all over Sydney.
No idea what this tree is called, but I absolutely love the color 🙂

 

Edit: They’re called Jacarandas!

The cherry blossoms have officially met their match.

Bird and … Flowers

Seen just outside Central Station. Random and Pretty!

Cherry Blossoms Love

Yes, still on the gardens. These flowers are the reason why I deigned to pay the admission fee. Though I’m sure it’s nothing like what we’d see in Japan. Still, really pretty.

One downside was… Where there are flowers… there are… other living things.

Auburn Botanic Gardens Part I