Spring Holidays Trip #1 - Destination: Puffing Billy @ Belgrave Right now, I am too lazy, sick and tired to write anything about today, so I'll leave you with the photos first and type something hopefully by tomorrow afternoon. Sorry about the delay of things but I am now re-energized after a good nights sleep (I finally get to sleep early since I've been sleeping at 2 AM the past week ^^;;) and some good food XDLike I have said before I am going to go to Puffing Billy on Saturday (meaning today). Went with my mum, sister, aunty, Ninja and Patrick. Caught the train from Melbourne Central to Belgrave which took about 70 minutes stopping a total of 27 stations. The train trip itself was very boring resulting me sleeping half way. There was a toddler and a Korean kid sitting near us. The toddler was quiet but during the trip, he started yelling and flicking rubber bands == The Korean kid on the other hand was playing his NDS with full volume. Talk about annoying!
Ninja should have brought his PSP so we could've watched South Park - Episode #311? Chinpokomon. XD haha it was funny; cheap rip of Pokemon; we gotta buy them all; bomb pearl harbour and some random Japanese person popping out of the TV screens. America...
We sat on the 12:30 PM train from Belgrave to Lakeside. Total ride was about 1 hour, stopping at Menzies Creek and Emerald.
I took a total of 190 photos, and after going through them I came down with about 50 photos not including the ones I took of family. And so here they are:
Click to enlarge photos!
L -> R: Puffing Billy sign which connects to Belgrave station, Back part of a steam train which is not in use, Front of the Puffing Billy steam train, Puffing Billy crossing the wooden bridge
L -> R: Clock indicating next train's departure, Belgrave station sign and seats
Belgrave station handsI actually tried to take a photo of the conductor since he had the whole cap, bag and ticket puncher look. Unfortunately he didn't hear me say excuse me so I couldn't take a photo of him. Instead just took photos of the station hands wondering around. The passengers included: Italians and Caucasians, Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Indians etc. There were A LOT of Koreans! And I saw a very cute Korean child sleeping on the train whilst his parents were eating Mrs. Mac's meat pies on the way back.
L -> R: Official ticket received upon payment, Souvenir ticket
The souvenir ticket looks kinda cute XD
L -> R: Station masters and conductor talking at Belgrave station prior departing, Children finding a comfortable position prior departing, Puffing Billy departing Belgrave station, Puffing Billy turning a corner, Puffing Billy approaching Menzies Creek Station, Another Puffing Billy leaving Menzies Creek Station
If you're a passenger on the Puffing Billy, you have two choices of where you want to sit. Either on the comfy green couches inside or on the ledges where you dangle your arms and legs. Ninja, Patrick, my sister I sat on the ledge. Unfortunately when we were heading to Lakeside, it was raining, so we got our shoes and pants wet!
Various sign posts along the bush land track
L -> R: Conductor and station hands at Menzies Creek station, Station Master at Menzies Creek station 
Various scenery and knick knacks along the track
Wouldn't it be nice to have a picnic or have a house in the country side where fresh air is plentiful?
Various scenery and knick knacks along the track
Everyone waved to the passing cars and the drivers wove back at us. Ain't that nice?
L -> R: Model Railway and Miniature World at Lakeside station, Left side of the model railway, Close up on train tracks, Right side of the model railway, Young boy enjoying the view of the moving trains, View of the model railway when the lights are switched off
Our train's last stop was Lakeside. We had to stop for an hour so the four of us kids visited the Model Railway and Miniature World. Admission tickets were separate at $3.50 for a child which includes a stack of postcards.
Emerald Lake Model Railway
Largest working HO scale model (1:87) in the Southern Hemisphere, open to the public and undercover. Over 2000 metres of track. 150 electric points, 270 houses and buildings, 370 engines and rolling stock, 300 street and platform lights, 450 cars and trucks, 1110 trees and 1500 people. Viewing area 30 metres x 6 metres...larger than the average house!
Extracted from: Emerald Lake Model Railway's complimentary postcard
L -> R: Menzies Creek station seat, Lakeside station sign
Each station had a bench and a sign with the stations name.
L -> R: A photographer capturing the moving train on his SLR camera, Locals having a picnic along the track, Locals waving at passengers on the Puffing Billy, Young children waving at passengers on the Puffing Billy, Locals walking their dog along the track, Young boy at a station looking at the Puffing BillyThroughout the track there were a variety of people. The photographer followed us from Belgrave to Lakeside in his Ford trying to capture the train. He was always faster than us! It is also customary for on lookers and by passers to wave at us as well! Those people who past the track every day must have fun waving to tourists and Australians with their gleaming faces.
Overall I reckon the whole trip was alright. The time sitting on the public train was VERY boring however the experience on the Puffing Billy is unforgettable. All the views and scenery you could see was amazing! I also think everyone captured different photos with no two of the same photo. I had fun dangling out of the train ledge and trying to touch the leaves and trees near the track.
For more information check out www.puffingbilly.com.au
Happy holidays!
Grub
Magster asked me if I knew of a recipe which doesn't require use of an oven (since she doesn't have one), using everyday ingredients and is easy to do. She wanted to make jelly but had no gelatine/ agar agar powder, so that did work out so well. I suggested making dorayaki and some other stuff but then I didn't think she'd like to "watch over"the pot of adzuki beans which takes up more than an hour. So my last suggestion was to make chocolate balls. Which is not quite "chocolate" since it doesn't even taste like chocolate or even contain any traces of chocolate! 
Well the name of this recipe has been passed down from a long time ago. "Chocolate balls" in Grade 1 where we made these for a demo on instructions and methods, in which we made fruit punch as well. The name "chocolate balls" then changed to "chocolate truffles" in Year 7 where we made these for a prac. And I'm going to call them "not quite chocolate balls" since they are ball-shaped but not quite chocolate flavoured.
1. Crush the biscuits until they resemble crumbs.
2. Add the coconut and cocoa powder. Stir until the mixture has an even brown colour.
3. Add the condense milk and stir until everything sticks together.
4. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls. Roll them in extra coconut.
