The Start of Sleep Deprivation

After St. Kilda on Friday I went to spend the night with a bunch of girls from church. I got caught up on all the gossip which meant that I didn't go to bed until 4:00 a.m. Even though I had to wake up at 6:00 to go to the temple, the lack of sleep was definitely worth getting to know them better. They're all Vietnamese or Chinese (but have grown up in Australia) and most are converts. I love getting to know people so different from me but finding out that we really are all the same. It was so nice to be able to be in the temple with them as well. It reminded me once again of how sad I will be to leave everyone!

Jenny, Han, Jenny, My, me and Jane

After the temple I showered quickly and headed to the city to meet Christine for lunch. I made us sandwiches, grabbed some fruit and veg and off we went to the Royal Botanical Gardens. I cannot get over how beautiful everything is here. Now that the dry summer is over everything is green but the leaves are changing and falling for autumn. I feel like I'm out of adjectives for this place and just my life these past few months. It's sad that no one at home will ever truly understand or appreciate these six months of my life.

Over the Yarra River on the way to the gardens.


We sat on a bench (it's too little to see) right in that patch of orange leaves.