Mount Hotham Trip Part 2

This is a sequel of my previous post which can be found here.

Day 1: Leaving from Melbourne to Mount Hotham

Woke up at 6.15am. Showered, did my make up. made the bed, turned off the heater, closed all windows. Hubs carried the huge shoulder bag that have all of our clothes, I carried my hand bag, the camera bag, the tripod, and a shopping bag that's filled with light food. Both of our hands were literally full we couldn't possibly carry more. We made sure we had our Myki in our pockets, got on the tram at 7.30 am and headed towards the Southern Cross Station. 

Once we reached there, hubs asked me to wait for him at Hungry Jacks cuz he needed to go to the loo. When I entered the premise, I sat next to an Asian lady who was standing beside her table. Soon later, hubs came, ordered some food and brought our breakfast for us to eat. I was so hungry and was so into my burger that when I finished it in like 15 minutes later, I just realized the lady was still standing there! She just stared at the same spot, expressionless. I told hubs in Malay about it and of course he didn't realize anyone was standing there cuz like me, he was in his own world when he ate his meal. Haha! I just find it weird. Weird as in creepy weird, not funny weird. Oh well.

About 8.30 am, we went to the gate. We were super early and thought we should queue now before everybody else start to come. We need to pick the best seats! Eventually, the bus came. The bus driver came out, introduced himself to us. Told us there would be 4 people riding the bus including us and need to pick up one more person at the airport. Sweet. Guess we don't have to fight for seats now. Yay! Wanting to take photos with the bus with my phone and my newly bought monopod (so semangat!), I slid my hand into my hand bag and rummaged through to find the phone. Hmm that's not it. That's my wallet. What's thing metal thing. Oh, its the monopod. Wait a sec. Did I bring my phone?

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 Yeap. Phone's not there. Left. It. At. Home.

&(^()^&*(@&&#*$&*(&!&*(@!!!

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After ten minutes of letting my frustration alarm go off, its time to reset and just enjoy the trip with whatever I have. No point of getting myself irked over small things. I still have my big professional camera to play with right? But I can't help but to sigh everytime I look at the monopod. Lol. 

 The other two passengers arrived and the bus took off at 9 am. The journey was very smooth, no music was played throughout (which was great cuz I get to sleep for a good one hour) and there was no traffic. My only complain is there was not much room for our long legs as our knees were already hitting the front seats. So imagine our relief when we stopped for a lunch break. Hallelujah! 

Our first official photo of the trip. 

About 12.30 pm, we reached Myrtleford and had to change from the bus to a van. The sun was scorching hot but the air was dry so I wasn't worried about getting sweaty. We took our bags and placed them in the new vehicle. The new driver seemed nice, he was all smiling and cheerful when he greet us. Oh, the last driver was hilarious too. So thanks Snowball Express for your wonderful drivers! 

The pick up van at Mytrleford

  Bye-bye huge bus. Thanks for bringing us here in one piece. Or two pieces. Err which one is correct but U know what I mean :P

And the journey continued. It took about 30 mins to reach Bright, which is at the bottom of Mount Hotham. Let's just say it's like Genting Sempah to Genting Highlands. So the winding road now begins! Now I'm getting a little bit more excited but I was really nervous at the same time. We've heard stories about buses plunging down the cliffs and all. Not sure about Australia, but in KL I think I've heard four to five times of such stories throughout my life. I can't stop uttering prayers quietly when we were going up the mountain. 

About 40 minutes later, the scenery was changing slowly from thousand rows of rough dry trees to an open land with splotches of white ice on the ground. The winding has become lesser and we get to drive at least 100 metres straight up without making a turn. White snow has multiplied and did a good job covering the grounds by the road. Not long after that we came to a sign board which confirmed our destination.

  

Finally. Took us about 6 1/2 hours to reach here. My bum was getting cramps.

Right after seeing the signboard, we were already entering the small town of the Mount Hotham. The bus driver dropped us at the Tourist Lounge and we headed towards the Hotham Central to get our lift passes. Once that was done, we walked towards our chalet which was about 150 metres away from where we were.

Hotham Central

Will continue this post in the next few days. I've more pics and stories need to be shared. Please bear with me *bats eye lashes* 

XoXo 

Sarah

twitter: ssarahs9

instagram: sarah.powderpurrfect

Honeymoon At Last

Nine months after our wedding and we finally went somewhere special to call it as our honeymoon. We didn't plan the trip earlier cuz we were so overwhelmed with all that spending for our wedding and bearing the cost of me to get settled in Aussie. Once the wedding was over, we just had to leave our bank accounts alone and let them breathe for a while (I pity them so much!)  

So when hubs asked me where I’d like to go for our honeymoon last month, I told him I’d like to go on a ski trip. It has always been a dream since I was a kid. There are many things I’ve experienced in life but never once have I ever touched snow. I’m saying real snow, not “Mines in Wonderland” kinda snow. He never really confirm cuz he wasn’t sure when he can take leave from his work. But on one fine day, he finally found some free time and hence, the planning begins!

Our initial plan was to go to Mount Buller as that was the first place that came to my mind if you’re going skiing. One of hubs friends suggested we should go to Mount Hotham instead as it has more ski trails. After reading lots of reviews, watching youtube videos and comparing prices, we felt that the place wasn’t too bad at all. By this time I just leave him with all the planning and trust him to book everything by himself (isn’t that what husbands are for, right?)

So where does that leave me? Oh, I just had to make sure I look fabulous throughout the trip… as if (you’ll get what I mean once you see the photos). Im not that vain and hopeless guys.. I planned what food to bring, ordered a tripod online so we could take awesome photos, bought extra batteries for my camera and.. well I’d guess that it! :P

Okay I have a feeling this entry is going to be very long and I'm so tired, I did three loads of laundry, folding, cooking and a little bit of vacuuming around the house. I'm going to continue with this story in another post okay. I promise I'll get it up sometime in the next few days yeah? In the meantime, let me just give you teaser what's going to come up next...

Isn't it lovely? Sigh

E.L.F. Studio Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter Review

Remember those time when you can just simply walk out of the house with just a compact powder on your face? How I miss those days when I felt my skin was flawless, my pores were tight and dark spots were just non-existent. If I can recall correctly, I think I started getting freckles at the age of 23-24. I thought it was just a temporary thing like a sunburnt, it will stick with you for few weeks and disappear. But I'd guess this damn thing wants to become your BFF and it's really hard to get rid of them. Either you have to splurge on expensive prescription skincare or go for a laser treatment but that would still not guarantee they won't come back *sigh*

Anyway, those expensive things are just not my options at the moment. So at the meantime, I've been searching high and low for a great make up, concealer in particular, to cover up those annoying hundreds of tiny spots on my face. I have 3 concealers in my collection at the moment, but I will review the other two later. For now, I'd like to write my opinion about this product from ELF.

Retailed at AU$8.00 

Texture: Light to medium coverage

Buildable: Yes

Under Eye Dark Circles : Doesn't conceal completely but my eye bags are pretty bad actually

Freckles: I would say, up to 70% gone with the help of foundation

Dark spots: Slightly visible

Stickiness & Cakeyness: I've touched up twice and don't feel anything but dry

Redness: Concealed

Here are some photos for you guys to compare. Please be warned, my face without make up is quite horrifying.

If you can see (I'm sure you can) I have hundreds of freckles spread on my face especially at the cheekbone areas, little bit of redness on my nose, upper lip and on my forehead. My eye bags are quite dark and sunken (this is hereditary, my father has it too)

And this is a photo with two layers of Loreal Super Blendable True Match in Golden Beige applied to my face.

Will you agree with me if I say 60% of my freckles are already gone with this foundation? This foundation is pretty awesome but not that awesome to cover all the freckles completely. The redness on my nose is still peeking through so this is when I need to put on the concealer.

So what I did next was, I dabbed the product on the areas where I have freckles, redness and dark spots. Then I tapped gently with my fingers to help it blend with my complexion. I did this two layers on the problematic areas as I felt one layer is just not enough.

I had to put these two photos as they had different lighting under tone. The tiny faint freckles are basically gone but the really dark ones on my upper lip and on the cheek bone are still obvious. But overall, I'm quite satisfied with this product. But will I buy again? I found another concealer that works better for me so not for now :) (will review the other two concealers soon so stay tuned!)

Purr's Ratings: 7/10 points

  

Eid Mubarak 2014

Alhamdulillah, bulan puasa sudah pun berlalu dan sekarang kita sambut raya pula.This is my first time raya with my newly husband, away from my family. Nak kata sambut, takde lah sambut sangat. Sang suami kena masuk ofis, saya pulak off day hari ni, tak kena panggil gi keje. Nak gi semayang raya, takde geng. Kalau duk umah je nanti rasa tak raya plak. Baik keluar gi jenjalan sengsorang. Actually i've always preferred to go out on my own without sang suami. Bukan per, i like to take my own sweet time. I ni suka jalan perlahan-lahan, survey barang, belek tu belek ni. Kalau tinggalkan kat Daiso boleh duk situ at least 1 hour. Tapi takde la masuk every week. Maybe once a month ke. Dah memang slalu la kuar ngan husband nanti dia naik hangin kalau i duk buat slow-slow je. Haha. Tu lah kalau keluar ngan dia memang kena alert sket. Takleh kena distracted especially lalu tepi cosmetics aisles kat tengah2 mall tu yang dihiasi cantik2 memanggil-manggil kita datang suh cuba... Dalam tengah duk jalan tepi dia tiba2 dia dah jalan sorang ke depan. Mana dia tak tension kan. Sorry lah.. bukannya sengaja nak menghilang. Ni lah namanya kena distracted. hehehe.

Anyway, i pikir macam nak pegi area lain pulak lah asyik CBD je. Dah buat groceries pun kat situ je dah naik muak kat situ, nak tukar angin lah. So i pun pegilah Ikea kat Richmond. First thing first, nak kena pekena coffee. Time2 winter ni, kalau tak pekena hot drinks memang tak rasa winter lah. So i just took a white coffee cup from the rack and queued to pay. Since it was Monday and on a weekday, I get to have free cafe latte with an Ikea Family Member's card. Sweet. Dapat la save few dollars. Dah minum coffee so pegi la survey lampu kat dalam ikea tu. Ingat nak cari table lamp, sebab lampu kat rumah ni sangat tak memadai untuk dapatkan gambar yang terang dan clear untuk blog. Akhirnya, dapat la beli lampu ni.. (dah pun siap pasang letak atas meja di rumah)

Tengok.. lighting di rumah sangat gelap. Ni pun dah pasang lampu siling tu.

Oklah, dah panjang lebar post ni. Sebenarnya nak cerita pasal experience raya kat sini. Since kitorg tak kenal mana2 malay community kat sini, so takde la rasa cam beraya sangat. In shaa Allah.. nanti jumpa lah siapa2. At the meantime, I would like to wish to all the families who have lost their loved ones in recent MH17 flight tragedy. May Allah ease your pain. Al-fatihah.. 

Where to get moulds for Malaysian's kuih muih

Hi everyone,

Today I'd like to share with you some stuffs I bought for my cooking missions. These are moulds that are used to make some of Malaysian's favourite traditional savoury delights such as karipap/curry puffs, roti jala/soft net pancakes, kuih loyang/honeycomb cookies and kuih bakar/baked cake. I have already made roti jala and kuih bakar with the moulds but did not take proper photos for the blog but I have uploaded them on my instagram. Click on the hyperlink to visit my page at instagram and let's connect, ok? Sounds good? Cool, now let's talk about the vendor. 

Initially I was looking for a curry puff mould in the internet and man.. it was really hard to find it. I found few blogs that were selling this but I wasn't really impressed with the price and the cost of the shipping. So I continued searching and searching.. typing in keywords in english and malay.. then boom it led me to this facebook page RNZ Kitchenware Trading. It's a retail shop located at Sungai Buloh, Selangor in Malaysia and the prices weren't too bad...

1. Curry Puff mould 8cm : RM2.90

2. Curry Puff mould 10.5cm : RM3.90

3. Roti Jala mould : RM 4.90

4. Kuih Loyang mould : RM 16

5. Kuih Bakar mould : RM 15.90

Total : RM43.60

Shipping cost to Melbourne, Australia : RM52

So in total I paid roughly about AUD$32.00 for five items. They gave me the small curry puff mould in blue to me for free as I decided to get it after I paid. I believe it was just RM1.90 per unit. The price and shipping cost were great but the only drawback is that they don't have Paypal services for customers to make payment. Lucky for me I still have a Malaysian bank account that I can use to transfer funds locally. But if you're still interested to purchase their items, give them a message on their Facebook. 

I'd guess that's all for now. Hope this post is helpful if you were looking for the moulds. Have a pleasant day and I'll see you in my next post. Bye! :)

June Favourites

Hello purrpurrs,

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been so busy for the past few weeks. I just got myself a couple of casual work here in Melbourne. It's nothing fancy but at least I have some income and I can spend without asking my husband for money. But when ordering online I still need to ask for his permission, I don't know why. It's not like he asked me to but I know he get pissed off if I buy so much stuffs. Anyhoo, since we have just entered the beginning of July, I thought of writing a list of my favourites for the month of June. Hope you guys enjoy it :)

Whipped Volume Mousse by David Babaii

After doing a lot of research, reading product reviews and doing comparisons, I got myself this baby at Priceline and I am pretty much satisfied with the result. It is lightweight, doesn't give a sticky feeling, and it doesn't weigh my hair down. I use this mousse particularly on top of my head when it can look pretty flat on second or third day after washing. I had an experience with another hair volumizers product, it's in powder form but it makes my hair so stiff and sticky so I'm glad this doesn't do that.

Handmade False Eyelashes, Aliexpress

Falsies. This is a new thing for me. I've only worn falsies on two occasions all of my life. Once on my best friend's wedding (when I realized thick long lashes don't really go with my eyes) and the second time on my wedding. I am very picky with falsies. It's because I have bulging eyes and I realized thick long lashes makes me look super weird. I can go without but I longed for that natural long subtle eye lashes... and I was so glad I found this product online! And the price.. you can't beat the price.. 10 pairs for US$4.79. I'm really happy with this product & price so definitely will repurchase.

Vitamin E Skin Oil by Derma E

Love love love! I use this oil like a face serum before my moisturiser and I also use it for my hair. Since its winter in Melbourne now, my skins get really dry and this oil does its job! I have tried Rose Hip oil prior to this but Mr Hubs complained that it smells funny. So now before I purchase anything I will always give it a smell first and this oil doesn't have any scent. For my hair, I pour 4-5 drops into my hands and give it a good rub to release some heat and comb through my hair concentrating towards the ends with my fingers. I personally think it does a better job than other serums I bought at Priceline. But still can't beat Elianto Organic Olive Essence though. That's like my holy grail hair essence ever. 

Silicone Face Mask, Daiso

   

Yes... again.. another Daiso stuff. I bet you guys are getting bored of me raving so much about Daiso huh? Okay but this time no more make up stuff alright? I love this mask cuz now I can do facial and do house work simultaneously. I think this is a great invention, especially for those who can't find time to sit back and relax for a good half an hour without getting disturbed (by husband, kids or pets..) So all you have to is once you put your liquid mask on your face, put this on, tuck that big loops behind your ears and it will hold the mask for you. And the best part, the liquid doesn't vaporize so your face will fully absorb all the nutrients. Isn't that great?

Anyway, that is all for today. Hope you guys enjoyed this entry and see you in my next post! :)

P/S : If you'd like to have a chat with me, add me in instagram @sarah.powderpurrfect or twitter @ssarahs9. Take care & be safe! :)

xoxo

Sarah Purrpurr

What does your handbag says about your personality?

I'm not a character expert but I love reading about personality traits. I have developed this interest since I was 14 years old (many, MANY years ago) and it started with learning about zodiac signs. But today I'm not going to discuss about that, instead I'd like to relate our personalities to something that we are very familiar with. HANDBAGS! So since this is a complex subject and there are varieties of bag designs out there, I thought it would be fun to list down Mr Google's analysis of how we can perceive a woman's character based on the type of handbag or purse she is carrying. 

Size

Large : Women carry large handbags have all their essentials from mobile, make up, wallet, perfume, tablet or even laptop. They are lovable as they are always the one in the group who has wet tissue or hair brush to lend to their grateful friends. These women like to be quick and convenient so they can dump receipts and small purchases easily in the bag. Even though their bags are equipped with their life possessions, often they might get frustrated when they want to find their car keys because of all that unnecessary clutter *hint hint*

Medium : These women are not entirely clutter free but they are definitely more organized. They like to take their time to plan and bring items that are only practical and sensible. They don't strive to look stylish everyday, it depends on their mood and occasion. They keep their room neat and tidy most of the time. They know how to be focussed and be easy going at the same time.

Small : This applies to bags that can only fit a mobile, lipstick, compact powder , credit cards and some cash. This women are definitely minimalist, clean and simple. They hate clutter and they are pretty much content with themselves. They are confident as they don't feel the need to bring their survival kit to get through the day. If they need to bring extra stuffs, they are not afraid to ask their boyfriends/husbands to carry for them.

Types

Shoulder bags : This is the most popular style of bag just because it is functional and practical. Women who wears this bag like to have their hands free so they can manage their errands easily. They prefer to be comfortable but also not compromising style. 

The Arm-Carry bag : This dainty style represents a sophisticated independent attitude in a woman. These women are charismatic and they want to flaunt some sort of empowerment status to the society. The wearers are spenders and love to splurge on themselves. This women are ambitious and are ready to take over the world. 

Crossbody bags : Women who wears this bags are usually cheeky and fun. They are youthful in outlook, energetic and have an active lifestyle. They definitely like to have their hands free so that they are able to multi-task. These wearers are either at highschool or newly mothers with babies in their arms.

Clutch bags : If you see a woman who likes using clutch bags, you'll know she's feminine and loves beauty. These are ladies who can get through the day with minimal essentials beside them. They are confident and love to make a fashion statement. 

Colors

Black/ Grey/ Brown : Women who opt for these colors are usually practical and logic. They feel safe with this range as they can easily match with their outfit. They can choose to boasts either elegance or humility depending on their whole appearance. These wearers are excellent decision makers and always strive for perfection. 

Bright & Vibrant : These wearers are clearly social butterflies. They are extrovert and spontaneous. They are confident and not afraid of trying something new. These women craves for adventure and love being in the spotlight. They are crazy and fun to be with. They also love to be at the happening scenes. 

Soft & Pastel : The sweet feminine kind hearted women who also loves fashion often opt for soft and pastel colored bags. They are timid and soft spoken and adores the 'kawaii' sense of style. These women are sensitive and very nurturing. Even though they come off as shy, they are very feisty and protective when it comes to their loved ones.

So what do you guys think? Can you associate yourself to this analysis? I can relate myself to ALL of the categories based on my mood/occasions. But I have to admit most of the time I carry large handbags *oops* and they're either brown, black or white *just because I'm boring :(*. Anyway, thanks for reading this post and I would love to hear comments from you guys. Take care & have a nice day! :)