Well, the birthday month is FINALLY OVER people.

And I’m FINALLY 30, officially. Well, unofficially, because I DECIDED when it was to be official, in my ever special controlling way.

Remember this post, where I regaled you with the idea of a MONTH LONG festival of me? Well, here’s how it’s gone down:

4th May: commenced S and I’s lomantic trip to Egypt! We horserode through the pyramids, went on our first hot air balloon ride, and ate amazing food. And of course, did LOTS more but I’m slowly blogging all of it!

14th May: we went from Egypt to Singapore for some family time!

15th May: Family has a birthday dinner for me.

16th May: Salsa friends in Singapore and I have a late night teh with lots of giggles and goss.

17th May: Lunch with one of my oldest friends Wei, since her birthday is 1 day before mine!

18th May: Return to Melbourne

20th May: My mummy arrived in Melbourne and SPOILT me rotten, taking me shopping and looking after me!

21st May: Latin 247 (Salsa event)

23rd May: Mummy leaves.

25th May: S is took me out to a super duper romantic dinner.

26th May: My actual birthday where my students sang happy birthday to me and it was VERY nice!

28th May: S’ niece’s deb ball, which means BALL GOWN oh gosh YAY!

29th May: My beautiful girlfriends and I had a ridiculously good champagne lunch for my birthday!

31st May: Dinner at Vlados with the wonderful baby girl, Shamster.

4th June: my ACTUAL birthday party in Melbourne.

 

Yups, it has been QUITE the whirlwind month, and let me tell you, I am unapologetic for all the fabulousness! I will be remembering this last month with glee for years to come.

And so how did my ENDS WITH A BANG BYE BYE 20′S partay go down?

Oh lordy.

It was MAGNIFICENT.

Firstly, I didn’t have to do a thing. Just before my Egypt trip, I hastily emailed Anita, wondering if she could look at a few venues online for me. And this lovely girl, she did more than organise a venue – she found a venue that I already liked in the city, that didn’t CHARGE for booking it, and worked out all the details without so much as a peep of effort from me. SUPER WIN.

THEN, she also whipped up the cutest little invite by stealing a picture from my Facebook.

Super cute, right?

Anyways.

I decided to get FROCKED UP, and you know nothing pleases me more, so I was already in a great mood. PLUS, I finally conquered the curls. Yes, the ones on my head. It’s near impossible for me to give myself curls, but by golly, I think I got it this time! Before we left the house, I made S take a photo of me, you know, for posterity.

We got to the venue, and lo and behold, the wonderful partay planner Anita had planned MATCHING DECORATIONS. How awesome is this!!

 

It was the kind of perfect party night that started with bottles of champagne, and stayed in that happy vortex of blurry energetic fun all night – with friends new, old and present who came to celebrate with me. Everyone was laughing all night, and there was plenty of merriment. The photos kind of speak for themselves:

 

 

I was lulled into this totally happy warm place of flitting around from group to group of people, catching up and having great giggly moments, as the party kept swelling and we started spilling out of our room! THEN, about halfway through the night, Maria grabs me, leading me to the bathroom, citing a “wardrobe malfunction”.

People when a girl believes her wardrobe has been compromised, she is led willingly to a trap. A TRAP.

Before I knew it, myself, Maria and Sham were SQUISHED into the world’s tiniest, slightly grotty bathroom. WAS THIS REALLY NECESSARY? TO RE-TIE MY BELT?

Maria re-tied my belt, and then, WOULDN’T let me leave the bathroom for about 12 minutes. With no good explanation. I knew something was up. Uh huh.

(Unbeknownst to me, THIS was happening outside):

 

So she finally lets us out, and 3 of us are gasping for fresh air, and OH MY GAWDNESS, all this LOUD singing is taking over the entire bar.

 

AND THE CUPCAKES MATCHED MY DRESS!

*swoon*

Then, I have some vague recollection of speeches that made me well up.

 

And a toast, which I DO remember, because first, there was a speech which I DEFINITELY barely remember giving.

 

And extreme pleasedness at ALL THE JOY.

 

AND lots of tries at taking a photo with EVERYONE in it.

We failed.

We tried, but FAILED – and only managed to get half the people in it. Still, it’s a COOL SHOT!

 

I don’t actually know how to describe it, but there was just so much light, laughter and love in that room. Everyone was happy about catching up, and it just seemed like an incredibly wonderful place to be at. Turning 30, surrounded by lots of loved ones, friends, and the people who make up my life here in Melbourne.

And so the partay went on.

LOTS of chatters, lots of natters, lots of drinks and nibbles, LOTS of friends just milling about, and gosh, it was a lovely lovely feeling.

Oh, and there was lots of cards and presents. I mean, that helps a LOT.

Those of you who attended – the photos are up on Facebook so you can see it ALL unfold there!

And I just wanted to say THANK YOU. You know, in case it didn’t get covered in my slightly tipsy and unremembered speech.

Firstly, thank you to the PERFECT host, partay planner and wonderment of a twinsy:

 

Thank you for possibly the BEST party I’ve ever had, for helping me GET OLD, for auguring in a new fresh healthy year for me and making sure it was a seamless night full of absolute FUN and JOY.

AND THEN, there’s thank you to ALL OF YOU WHO CAME, and also those of you that couldn’t come but wanted to.

Thank you friendlings, for making my life in Melbourne what it is, and for helping me make it a home. Thank you for ensuring I forgot about the woes of the year past, and for helping me truly learn what a celebration is. You all made it oh so special. Thank you for spoiling me with presents, cards, and well wishes. Thank you for being just lovely. I’m so truly humbled to be in the presence of SO MANY wonderful people, and to be so supported and cared for – it’s spine tingling and at once wonderful and overwhelming. It is amazing.

(PS, I really hope I at least covered a little bit of that in my tipsy speech).

It is amazing.

And now it’s official.

I’m frigging 30.

And only slightly stressed about what’s to come, and what I HAVEN’T accomplished yet. But that’s ok. As long as I’m surrounded by the quality people I have in my life, it’ll all work out.

Right?