Making use of a free day.

The best Christmas present my work gave its employees this year was a bonus day off on Christmas eve, and thus a 5 day weekend. I do not normally take leave on Christmas, I don't see the point as I have no young family also on holidays. That being said, I really appreciated it this year, particularly since I was coming off a week on call and was eager to break my house arrest.

I did some shopping with my dad this morning and had a siesta at lunch. I was keen to get out and do something but it was a scorcher outside. I finally trekked out to the air conditioned casino. Whilst I have visited many casinos this year when on holidays, this was my first visit to my home casino all year and the first since they finished renovations. Being Christmas eve, the place was a little quieter than usual and it didn't take too long to get a seat at.the poker tables.

The buy-in at my table was $200. I had my limits - 5 hours max or I would leave if I managed to get my stack over $500. I was off to a good start. first hand had pocket 5's. Flop was A52 and managed to win $50. Had AA 3 times, won 2 good pots and lost a small one. After 3 hours playing I was sitting on around $450 and looking for a hand to put me over the line.

I chanced 69 in a blind and after a lucky chase, made a straight on the turn. Pot had well over $100 in it so I tried to secure it with an overbet and went all in. I was called by someone relatively new to the table who was chasing a flush. It was a terrible call as he had little value, nonetheless, as is so often the case in poker, you can get lucky with any hand and the river gave my opponent his flush.
This was the turning point for me. I had a few other little victories and losses, but for the most part, spent the evening talking to others at the table. I ended my 5 hours $65 behind but had fun regardless and felt I received value for money.

I walked to central via chinatown and stopped by a food hall I enjoyed in my uni days. I would always get a Laksa and dessert at this particular food court, but the places I used to go to had both closed down. I bought a laksa from another place and it was good without being outstanding. I chose seafood, and it had real seafood in it (lots of fish, some Octopus and prawns). The best way to murder a Laksa is by putting crab sticks and extender in it. It was however, very oily and it was hard to take the liquid.

My Laksa from Eating House, Chinatown

Laneway at chinatown

I managed to squeeze in a small froyo on the way home and walked home in the rain. All in all, I'm satisfied that I didn't waste a day off!