WYD melbourne

when i was told that i have to join SYD WYD i was overjoyed. it had always been my dream to join this pilgrimage. SYD WYD was actually the second option, because visiting my aunt who lives in queensland is the prime purpose why i'm joining this. but who cares what is the first option or last, as long as i can be able to travel again [and this time with visa] it doesnt matter to me.

preparation, practices and lots of things to do before we left for OZ. finally its our time to leave. with a total of 12 hours flight from manila-sydney, it's quite long. with an additional another two hours from syndey to melbourne, where we are having our 'days of diocese.'

days of diocese as what i learned from most is most likely the hightlight [of course, aside from seeing the Pope], because you get to interact with the natives of the place, get to learn their culture, mingle with them and enjoin them with their community services. it was way far more of what as i expected when we ended up with the Andersons - brian and tine with their twins Mat and Dave. the andersons become our home away from home. they never left us alone even if they already told us the direction and gave us their number. they did all they could for us to be able to enjoy and not miss home. we cooked for tine during her birthday, and she brought us to the mall [where most of our groupmates was not able to go], enjoyed eating outside and introduced us to the rest of their family. though we never missed attending the activities.

we've seen places visited some cathedrals and a museum, enjoyed walking and doing the train ride but apart from it EXPERIENCE was the best that teaches me to learn more and explore more of what is down under.

the official logo of the world youth day 2008, that was held in Sydney, Australia

sitting on the floor while waiting for an immigration officer to assess us. at ninoy aquino international airport. with me are sandi, father boy, doc sylvia and doc lynette.

after our 3 and a half flight from manila-singapore, it is time for us to wait for 8 hours for our connecting flight from singapore-sydney. we hang out at chang-i airport the whole time waiting for our boarding for sydney. with me is aya [my cousin], and father trini.

finally, we're in SYDNEY! with a participant from catarman also. we just got out from australian immigration and started heading to the parking lot, where the woelders family is waiting for us to bring us to their house. it was kinda chilly as it is winter time down under. i didnt realize it was REALLY cold when the wind starts blowing and i feel like "urgh!" i need a coat!! ahahahha

we took 3 planes within 24hours. guess the jetlag got into me when my stomach starts to feel weird when we got to sydney and melbourn. with me is father trini, waiting for our flight to melbourne on the same day we arrived in sydney. no seats available anymore so we decided to squat at the corner of our departure area.

a koala bear and an Australian flag is part of the welcome gift of our host family in melbourne. it was so thoughtful and nice of them to put them on our room. btw, i shared a room with my cousin in melborune.

this is practically the whole CATARMANanon group that is present in melbourne. i dont know where are the priest here. hehehe! this is us, with different facial reaction. lol

this was the last night in scoresby, melbourne. dancing the night away :) sweat running down my spine, for the first time i got here in melbourne

my melbourne family. no matter where i go, who i met i will always look back and say "i have the best host ever! and they are the andersons of scoresby, melbourne." i need not to enumerate or say more about them coz they are simply the best people i met!. brian, tine and dave.

pop and nan.. tine's parents whom we met during our lunch buffet with tine's family in melbourne. they are in their 90's but surely they can still drive a car and just go around. :)