wonderfully made: Elena Off to A Happy Place: Sydney

the famous Sydney Opera House- at night

As I post this blog my dear friend and soul sister Elena is on her Philippine Airlines flight to one of the happiest place on earth, Sydney in the Land Down Under probably for good. Few hours earlier I waited for her up at Starbucks in ABS-CBN where she used to work as a legal officer. It was like a dream.

at Sta Maria Ilocos Sur Church, UNESCO World Heritage

The busybee as she has been, she was in too much a hurry to share a drink with me- we just drove to her place and a quality time was spent. Few years back, I had to meet her very shortly in Ortigas where she used to work at Roco’s law firm on the day of my flight to Melbourne. It was like a déjà vu.

Time really flies and it has flown quite fast. I came back not too long ago and we had our unforgettable reunion travel to Vigan, Ilocos Sur where we had a “visita iglesia” on a holy week. day. The poor communicator that I am, we lost contact again but when we met last year, we clicked right away- very much like old friends are. Yet she gave me a pleasant surprise- I was introduced to the love of her life which after twists and turns, has find her. Jay, it turned out is a lovely person who then- is off to Sydney in few days time.

Sydney- definitely a happy place

Seconds after we met, we warmed up on each other and I had become very comfortable enough to tell him that when his then girlfriend and me were much younger and carefree in our dorm back in UP, we ventured to the possibility of going to Oz, in whatever way possible.

my favourite photo-taken on a cruise in Sydney

When a call for audition for “Lion King” musicale for Sydney came, we submitted our resume with the hope of being called as member of the choir or as a dancer. We would be happy to do anything just to be in Sydney.

always great to have a walk at the Darling Harbour

The audition team never called us up, so I called them up to ask why we were not given the chance to do the audition and I was told that we had no background in music. The positivist that I am retorted “ but we’ve got the talent”. Regardless, no call for auditions came and we went on with our lives. Jay can’t help but laugh with delight while Elena was quite embarrassed but join the fun recollection of events in our coffee session in the Shang Plaza.

the central train station in Sydney

It was also autumn when I first set foot in Sydney in a tour with friends. But the most memourable was when I took the bus for an eight hour trip alone, from Melbourne in Victoria to New South Wales where Sydney is. I wanted to be there for the fireworks display to meet the new year. Yes, Australia is a tourist friendly and in my case, an international student lovely place, where travelling alone is safe, nice and easy.

view from the train station, on a summer

I will be missing Elena whom I had shared a lot of short but sweet and meaningful moments. But I am smiling now because I am sure that she will be very happy with her husband Jay as they start to build their family. And the Opera house is always there to remind me and Elena of our younger days when we were full of wishes and dreams. I realized that I was not considered as a choral member for the “ Lion King Musical” because I had to become an international student and Elena, as a migrant down under.

one is never lost in Sydney

One of these autumns, I will fly again to the land of “no worries”, to walk in the lovely parks of Melbourne, shop in its boutiques, go to my favourite places and catch up with my Aussie mates. But this time, it would be more exciting to walk in the Darling Harbour in Sydney, ride sunset cruises passing the Opera House and simply sitting in its vicinities for a cup of tea and some timtams.