The Perfect Way to Turn 18

For 18 years, I've always woken up on my birthday thinking I should feel radically different. But every year, I'm radically disappointed and feel exactly the same.

But this Wednesday, I turned 18 and woke up feeling...

...exactly the same! Except this time, I woke up to a wonderfully delicious breakfast cooked by Liam which made me feel like the day was going to be an incredible one...which, as you will see, ended up being straight up magical.

But the magic didn't start when we sat down for the picnic. No. The magic started before that..

As Liam and I were walking to the Botanical Gardens, a bird shat on my arm. 

You heard me.

Shat. On. Me.

Well, there's no other way to react to that but with a grossed-out laugh and a funny picture! So that's exactly what I did.

It's a nice look if I may say so myself ;)
Having wiped up my good luck, we arrived at the gardens, met up with the rest of the group and set up the picnic.

A picnic in which stereotypical picnic attire was required.

The boys pretended that they weren't thrilled on the idea

But it didn't take long for them to fess up how much they loved it.

Total babes.

The picnic was complete with jamon & melon and celery with cream cheese and cranberry appetizers, vegetarian rice paper rolls with sweet and spicy chilli dip, spring rolls, pita bites with homemade hummus, Doritos, crackers, and 2 types of mouthwatering sandwiches. Need less to say that our picnic went off without a hitch!

Once we made room in our full bellies, Sasha cracked out, decorated and presented us with his pavlova.

Thrilled? Absolutely.

After a while of eating good food and our fair share of banter, we shimmied our way down to Cubist Tattoo where I would forever be changed.

After eagerly waiting for the design to be complete, we piled into the room in the back where a masterpiece would be made!

Thrilled? Abso-freaking-lutely.

Tada!

These past two years in Hong Kong were two that I could have never imagined. I've been on ultimate highs and ultimate lows; met wonderful people and people who proved to be not so wonderful. But regardless, in every experience I've had - negative or positive - I've always looked on the bright side. Without doing that, I wouldn't be where I am today. That's what this tattoo represents to me. Most of the time, you have the option of looking at the glass half full or half empty; and (officially) from this point on, I'm choosing half full.

Once the deed was done, everyone went home to relax before going out to party the night away later on while Liam and I got ready to go to dinner at Tamarind - a fusion restaurant of Asian cuisines.

Photo from Tamarind's Facebook page

Little did I know that the dinner which I was expecting to be just for the two of us was actually a surprise birthday dinner with my family and friends!

For the second year in a row, I didn't see it coming. For some reason, I am completely oblivious when it comes to surprises so it was a real treat to see everyone there!

We started off with a little bubbly - a bellini in my case (and my new champagne drink of choice!)

Before indulging in samosas and miniature fish cakes.

Sorry for the lack of fish cakes...I was lucky enough to get these two before they were all devoured!

Mains of rice, naan, red chicken curry, spinach curry and pad thai were next.

Which were all finger-lickingly flavorful!

Good groans of satisfaction circled the table before the birthday cake (another surprise to me) was brought out.

Complete with my absolute favorite kind of sweet - marzipan (a sweet almond paste that is usually formed into little sculptures).

 Not a minute was spared before diving in and soon after going into a food coma.

And you know what, it was damn worth it!

Once presents were opened and kisses went around, we left and crawled into cabs to continue the night in a more expected fashion...out drinking of course (knowing that the drinking age here in HK is 18 so of course a night out was absolutely mandatory).

 Where the proceeding morning hangover was shared equally!

I have had 18 birthdays up until this point but I can honestly say that this one was one of the best. I did everything I could have ever wanted with the people I consider family. There was nothing I would have changed about the day and I am forever grateful to be surrounded with such wonderful and loving friends and family that I can do anything and everything with!

 It truly was a perfect transition into adulthood.