T N T - EXPLOSIVE!: My adventures Down Under (Sydney

Day 1: 26th Nov 2005 (Sat)

Mummy's sick from taking care of me, she was running a temperature so she went to see a doctor just before we left for the airport. I think im getting better, at least my fever's gone! im looking forward to taking the plane again...this time ill get to sleep in a bassinet!

That's me in the bassinet! its quite comfy actually...

We arrived early in the morning and the weather was glorious...blue skies and a light breeze. Mummy and Daddy were exhausted from the flight though, so we had to go back to the hotel to sleep. I was wide awake and raring to go, take me outside where i can see the yatchs on the harbor!

The spectacular views from our hotel room...

The weather turned frightfully cold in the evening and i started to feel woozy. I was coughing so badly and my nose was so clogged up i thought i was going to suffocate. i kept trying to tell Mummy and Daddy that i couldnt breathe but all they could do was rub Vicks on my chest and throat to ease my suffering. Mummy put me in the pram and pushed me up and down the hotel room; Daddy carried me to show me the lights in the harbor; they both tried to sing to me, rock me and feed me with warm milk and cereals, nothing worked. I was in utter misery.

In the end at 2am, they were at their wit's end and had to call the hotel doctor to come take a look at me as i was crying inconsolably. The good doctor took one look at me, listened to my chest sounds and proclaimed that i was suffering from a simple case of the flu. He prescribed a course of Children's Panadol and sent me back into my parents' weary arms. Children's panadol? Just that? When none of my fancy cough and phlegm medicine worked?

I guess this is how Ang Moh children deal with their colds, no elaborate plethora of medicines, just lots of sleep and their immune system! No wonder they are more robust than all we Asian kiddos!

Miraculously the unpretentious wee bit of syrup worked wonders and i was able to catch a few hours of sleep. When i awoke the snot had miracuously gone and i could breathe again! But i still had a terrible cough though and Mummy was a wreck, she looked as though she was going to collapse from exhaustion.

That's me feeling much better...Now what shall we play with today? Where shall we go?

Day 2: 27th Nov 2005 (Sun)

Today's weather was terrible, it started to rain early in the morning and didnt let up at all through the day. And it was cold, cold, cold! Isnt it supposed to be summer in Sydney now? Feels like winter to me!! they actually bundled me up in 3 layers of clothes and even wrapped a blanket around me in the stroller. That was how cold it was!

The miserable weather in Sydney, what a stark contrast with the day before!

Me all bundled up and still feeling sniffly...

Uncle Jason came to pick us up at about 3pm and took Mummy and Daddy to this chinese restaurant for hot noodles. Poor Mummy and Daddy, it was their 1st proper meal since we arrived, they were so caught up with taking care of me.

After lunch, we went to this huge shopping centre called Bondi Junction where the grownups walked around a bit. Poor Mummy was in no mood for shopping that day, she was so tired...and that is her favourite past time!

Uncle Jason brought us to Darling Harbour for dinner, to a restaurant called The Meat and Wine Co. It was a really neat restaurant where they displayed many bottles of wine in towering racks. I had a nice time looking around. Uncle Jason and Daddy ordered ribs and it was huge! I think i was as big as the entire rack of ribs! They even provided them with bibs so that they wouldnt stain their clothes. hehe...they looked just like me when im having dinner!

That's us with Uncle Jason during dinner!

We headed back to the hotel after dinner where Mummy and Daddy collapsed out of exhaustion. I tortured Mummy again by not sleeping the entire night, how could i? There was so much phlegm in my throat! Daddy had to sleep cos he had to work the next day, so poor Mummy had to deal with me all by herself. By morning Mummy really looked like a walking zombie...

Day 3: 28th Nov 2005 (Mon)

I allowed Mummy to catch some sleep from 5am onwards and we woke up at almost 12noon (Sydney time) this morning, that's only like 9am back home. By the time she was done trying to feed, change and clean me, it was almost 3pm. Mummy was so worried cos i was not eating at all and my fontanelle was sunken, indicating that i was dehydrated. But i really had no appetite, everything they gave me made me gag and choke.

Uncle Jason met us for lunch (it was more of tea actually) and directed Mummy to the malls in the city centre. Mummy was determined not to let her tiredness get in the way of shopping. In the end she bought me a lot of clothes...she couldnt resist cos the malls were having massive discounts...heehee...

Dinner was settled at a nearby MacDonalds cos Mummy and Daddy were too tired to go any further to forage for food. That night was the height of my cold, i literally tossed and turned the whole night, crying pitifully for the sleep that eluded me. At 6am Mummy made the decision not to go out the next day so that i could fully recuperate in the hotel room. I think it was also partly becos she had no strength left to hit the streets.

Day 4: 29th Nov 2005 (Tues)

Agenda for today

730am: Wake up, cough cough cough, fitful sleep

8am: Wake up, cry, cough cough cough, struggle with Mummy over medicine

830am: Struggle with Mummy over drinking milk

9am: Fall into fitful sleep in Mummy's arms

11am: Wake up, cry, cough cough cough, struggle with Mummy over milk again, poop

12noon: Still crying

1230pm: Fall into a more restful sleep

430pm: Wake up, cry, cough cough cough, struggle with Mummy over medicine and milk

5pm: Still crying

6pm: Still crying

630pm: Daddy's back, im still crying

7pm: Head out for Chinatown cos Mummy was going mad being cooped up in the hotel room with cranky me. She was totally zonked out, u know how i knew? cos she didnt even put on any earrings! And going out without earrings are a definite fashion no-no for Mummy!

9pm: im feeling much much better now, think im finally up for some activity tomorrow!