Love Down Under with a Drover

It was a typical Friday afternoon, I was wondering what to do when the phone rang, with Jackee on the other end of the line. She's inviting me for another movie night out and of course I said yes without batting an eyelash. We had a hard time going to Megamall because it was raining and it almost ruined our mood. We thought we'd be stranded in the MRT station. After a quick dinner at McDo (have you seen their latest TVad? sweeeeet!), we went straight to the Cinema and patiently lined up, occasionally bugged by the scalpers around. I really can't believe there are a lot of people who'd casually approach you asking for extra tickets. It was awkward. So I was really relieved when we got inside. Anyway, the tickets says advance screening will start at 7:30PM. I munched my McDo fries while waiting. I've never seen the trailer before so I don't know what to expect. All I know is that it's an epic film. I even dread that it would bore me. But I was wrong.

Australia is Baz Luhrmann's (Director of Moulin Rouge!) film which is a romantic-adventure movie. It's the story of Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman), an English, aristocratic woman who leaves England to follow her husband to Australia because she believes he is having an affair there. The husband is in Australia however, with the intention of selling his cattle station, a big property in the north of Australia. No confrontation happened. Instead, Lady Ashley embarked on a new type of journey, accompanied by a rough, hewn cattle drover (Hugh Jackman). Ultimately, Lady Ashley finds herself inheriting the cattle station and, in order to save it, she and the drover must undertake an epic cattle drive of 2000 cattles from Faraway Station to Darwin. In the course of that journey, she is transformed by the country and by love, for both the "Drover" and the indigenous child, Nullah (Brandon Walters). She realises that her life is not over, and there’s always a new life to be had. This film - which is at times heartbreaking and confronting, is also action packed as the characters were also caught in the bombing of Darwin in 1942, Australia’s only World War II battle fought on home soil. Just when you thought the movie is over... another conflict arises. It's quite long, It's almost 11PM when we left the movie house. But I'd say it's worth watching... I even shed some tears. I am really becoming too sentimental lately... tsk... tsk. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is still ringing in my head. Go watch it and be awed by the Aboriginal culture (look out for "King George"), fiery sunsets, epic journeys, romance (take note of Hugh Jackman's HOTness in his shower scene), dancing in a love tree, outback adventures, the dramatic landscapes (feels like The Land Before Time), and the story of the stolen generation.

Speaking of adventure, I'm afraid the "Anawangin trip" that Mels and I are cooking up will be shelved. I really wanted to go but it will be too costly if it will just be the two of us. Actually, Chie and Pol are willing to join but their Pinatubo trip falls on the same date (Jan31-Feb1). They wanted it moved to next next weekend. Mels wanted to go before she goes back to the corporate world on Feb2. I wanted a cheap trip. CONFLICTS. I know Mels spent hours browsing the net to research and plan this trip so it must be really disappointing for her. I know she really wanted this trip. But the month is coming to an end once again and my face will be slammed with a lot of bills so... I will have to convince myself again that there will still be a right time for Anawangin.


Melissa... I hope you understand