Travel Diary: Soul Searching at Kings Park, Western Australia

CHIQUIT BORCE was born and raised in the Philippines, and lived in New Zealand. In 2005, along with her husband and son, she moved to Perth, Australia. Chiquit is full of life and always loves a good laugh. She is a pre-school teacher at Blue Gum Montessori School.

GLM: What’s your favorite place to go to in your town?

CB: Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia is my favorite place to be whether I am being a tour guide to friends and family, celebrating a significant birthday or just wanting some peace and quiet.

GLM: What makes Kings Park special?

CB: Kings Park is fresh, green, and breathtakingly stunning. The vast 4.06-km-square park is located right in the Central Business District of Perth. It is a mixture of grassed park-lands, botanical gardens with 2/3 of the grounds conserved as native bush land. Do you know that it is even bigger than New York’s Central Park?

GLM: What do you do when you’re at King’s Park?

King’s Park is the best place to meditate, to read a book and to soul search. It is equally the best place to catch up with friends. If you're ever visiting Perth for the first time, your first and last stop has to be Kings Park. It is a place to make lasting memories.

GLM: Your friends comment that you are a fit and young looking mother in her 50’s. What’s your daily routine?

CB: I used to do more pump and yoga but because of my long standing foot condition, plantar fasciitis, nowadays, my main form of exercise is aqua aerobics.

GLM: Studies say laughter (which we share a lot) is the best natural anti-aging secret. What makes you laugh?

CB: You make me laugh. I laugh about me making people laugh.

GLM: Do you drink coffee or tea?

CB: I’m a coffee drinker. I like it strong, with skim milk, flat white.

GLM: What is the one advice you consistently give your son?

CB: I tell my son, Alvin, “be yourself.” In life there will always be good and bad things happening. You have to show some compassion in any situation.

GLM: What advice did you get from your mom that you remember the most?

CB: To be the best spouse and mother you can be, and no matter what, stay with your family.

GLM: What is something you look forward to?

CB: Your scream, when we finally meet again. (Last time we got together was in 1984, after our college graduation)

Thank you, Chiquit. You are a constant source of laughter and inspiration.

PS: It was cool to hear your voice. Who knew we can talk over the phone via Facebook Messenger!

What's your favorite place to go to unwind?

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