Spending the afternoon with my parents at Mingyue Lay Buddhist Temple was such a beautiful and calming experience. Tucked away in Bonnyrigg, this incredible temple is one of the largest Chinese Buddhist temples in the Southern Hemisphere and a truly special place in the Fairfield area.
From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere felt peaceful and welcoming. The temple grounds are stunning, with beautifully designed prayer halls, intricate traditional architecture, peaceful gardens, and so many different Buddha temples and meditation rooms to explore. Every room had its own unique feeling, filled with culture, spirituality, and quiet reflection.
My parents absolutely loved walking through the temple, taking in the beautiful surroundings and learning more about the Buddhist traditions and artwork throughout the complex. It was wonderful slowing down from our busy lives and simply enjoying quality time together in such a peaceful place. The calm energy, the smell of incense, the sound of prayers and the beautiful statues made the entire visit feel incredibly special and meaningful.
Sometimes the best memories are the simple ones — spending a nice afternoon with parents, sharing conversations, exploring beautiful places, and appreciating moments together. Feeling grateful for family time, peaceful moments, and experiences that stay in your heart long after you leave.
Spent such a lovely afternoon with my parents exploring Fairfield City Museum & Gallery and honestly it was one of those special days that stays with you. From the moment we arrived, the place felt peaceful, welcoming, and full of history, culture, art, and stories from so many generations. We enjoyed fresh coffee and tea together before slowly walking through every room and exhibition, taking our time and appreciating all the beautiful details around us.
The museum itself is incredible. Established in 1983, the site is filled with history and charm. The beautiful Edwardian-style building dates back to 1913 and was once the original Council Chambers for the Smithfield and Fairfield Municipality before becoming a family home and later transforming into the museum it is today. Walking through the old rooms felt like stepping back in time. Every corner had something interesting to discover — vintage furniture, historical objects, photographs, old household items, and pieces of local history from more than 150 years ago. My parents especially loved seeing how people once lived, worked, and raised families in earlier generations. It really makes you appreciate how much life has changed over time.
One of the highlights was the nostalgic Vintage Village area. It truly felt like walking through an old Australian town from another era. The old-style buildings, shopfronts, and preserved artefacts created such a warm and authentic atmosphere. There are not too many places left that preserve history in such a beautiful and interactive way. Every room had its own story and personality, and we spent so much time simply looking around and talking about the memories it brought back.
We also explored the powerful exhibition SÔNG SỐNG SONG by Vietnamese artist James Nguyen. The exhibition was deeply moving and emotional, telling stories connected to Agent Orange and its lasting impact on families and communities. One room featured large installations of shirts washed in the Parramatta River, while another showcased video works of Nguyen’s mother and local Vietnamese aunties singing survival songs by the riverbanks. The atmosphere inside the gallery was so powerful, emotional, and reflective. You could truly feel the connection between memory, family, migration, survival, and healing through the artworks.
Another beautiful part of the visit was the We Are Here exhibition celebrating First Nations culture, storytelling, and artistic traditions in Western Sydney. The Aboriginal artworks on display were absolutely stunning and full of meaning. Through art, film, and storytelling, the exhibition highlighted the importance of visibility, connection, knowledge-sharing, and community. The colours, textures, and stories throughout the rooms created such a strong sense of culture and belonging. My parents really enjoyed learning more about the local Aboriginal history and seeing the incredible creativity of the artists, Elders, and students involved in the project.
What made the day truly special though was simply spending quality time together. Walking through every gallery room, sharing conversations over coffee and tea, admiring the artwork, learning about history, and enjoying the peaceful surroundings made it such a meaningful experience. Sometimes the best days are not about big plans, but about slowing down and appreciating beautiful moments with family. Feeling grateful for these memories with my parents and for places like this that keep stories, culture, art, and history alive for future generations.
This Nepali Mother’s Day feels extra special and close to my heart. Having my parents here with me is such a blessing, and being able to celebrate this beautiful day together after 3 years makes it even more meaningful. Moments like these remind me how precious family truly is.
Nepali Mother’s Day, also known as Aama ko Mukh Herne Din, is a day dedicated to honouring and showing love and gratitude to our mothers. It’s a tradition where we express appreciation through small gestures, blessings, and time spent together—something so simple yet deeply meaningful.
This year, we celebrated in traditional Newari style, which made it even more special. In Newari culture, celebrations are rich with rituals and symbolism. We prepared and shared Sagun—a ceremonial platter that usually includes items like boiled egg, meat, fish, ginger, garlic and aila (traditional drink). Each element in Sagun represents good luck, health, and prosperity. Along with that, we offered tika—a sacred mark placed on the forehead as a blessing for protection and well-being.
We also baked cakes at home, adding our own little modern twist to the tradition. Celebrating with my brother and cousins made the day even more joyful. There was laughter, love and that warm feeling of being surrounded by family again after so long.
It’s hard to put into words how special it feels to come together like this—to celebrate our culture, our traditions and most importantly, our mothers. A day filled with gratitude, love and togetherness that I will always cherish ❤️
I survived my first proper camping trip, and it genuinely felt like a small personal victory.
It had been a long time since I last went camping. My only real experience before this was glamping about four years ago, and it wasn’t a great one. That experience put me off camping altogether, so I was quite nervous about trying again. Still, I decided to give it another go — and I’m really glad I did.
We arrived on a day with much nicer weather, around 29 °C, which made the start of the trip far more comfortable. The following days were much hotter, reaching about 34 °C one day and 38 °C the next. Setting up took longer than I expected. Even with a pop-up tent, there’s still a lot to do — setting up the gazebo, beds, and organising everything for the day. Once it was all done, though, it felt worth the effort and was actually very enjoyable.
On the first night, we had momos for dinner, plenty of snacks, and a campfire where we roasted marshmallows. That was definitely a highlight. The night itself was more challenging. I’m a very light sleeper, which was one of the main reasons my last camping experience was difficult. Even though I came prepared this time, sleep was still a challenge. That said, I managed a few hours, which felt like a win.
The next day, we got ready, freshened up, and had breakfast before spending the afternoon relaxing and playing games. We played UNO, other card games, Snakes and Ladders, and a few board games. The kids stayed busy with cricket, word-finding activities, and plenty of space to run around. There were three families in total with six kids, and they absolutely loved every minute of it.
Later in the day, once the sun started to go down and the heat eased, we headed to a nearby river. Swimming was exactly what we needed. After spending some time there, we came back for dinner, enjoyed another campfire, and wrapped up the day on a really nice note.
Overall, it was a really positive experience. The main thing I still need to improve is my sleeping setup so I can fully relax and treat camping as a proper personal pause. Spending time with family and friends, and seeing how much the kids enjoyed it, made it completely worthwhile. Hopefully, this will be the first of a few more camping trips — each one a little more comfortable and an even better experience.
Lately, I’ve been really encouraged to stay active by mixing in different types of exercise throughout my day. I’ve started doing a combination of HIIT workouts and walking — it’s been such a great way to boost my energy and clear my mind.
Whenever I can fit it in, I start my mornings with a 30-minute HIIT session, followed by a morning walk, sometimes on my own, sometimes with my husband, and occasionally with friends. It’s such a refreshing way to begin the day.
During the afternoons, especially when I’m at work, I try to step away from my desk and go for a short walk, often aiming for around five kilometres. It’s a simple habit that helps me reset and stay focused for the rest of the day.
In the evenings, I usually head to the park with my kids. It’s our time to move, play, and enjoy the fresh air together. I also try to include some light stretching, breathing exercises, and mindfulness to round out the day and keep improving my fitness and wellbeing.
It’s not about perfection — it’s about consistency, balance, and making movement a natural part of everyday life.
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