Wednesday, December 16, 2009
♥ My first ausie holiday.
Been back from Australia for a good 10 days already! I've procrastinate enough and now I'm updating this space about my trip :) It's my 1st time travelling to Melbourne & Tasmania and I must say I had a really rejuvenating time over time.
Seen, Eat, Hear, Smell, Feel Aussie over the 13 days - what an experience!
We manage to escape the school holiday + Christmas peak period and thank God, got relatively cheap air tickets from Emirates! Arrived at Melbourne airport in the morning. The weather was beautiful! Sunny with cool frequent winds blowing. Around 14-24deg.
Our lodging place for the next few days @ Aunt's big house!
Mom & Aunts really on- once settled with rooms and luggage, off we went to Preston market!
Everything @ Preston Market is BIG BIG BIG!!! After all the 'aunty' shopping for food for the night, we went to the German store, ALDI and bought chocolates! Ah pity that I don't have a photo of it. Most of the chocolates I brought back are from ALDI! I'm not being aunty but then
they sell HARIBO gummy bears really much cheaper than Cocoa Tree in Singapore.
After dinner, we took the train to City! There's not much of a night life in Aussie, most of the shops are closed by 5pm. We went to the Crown to look see look see, but of course we didn't step into the Casino. They were really bad to place the ATMS right beside the Casino!
Before we go, we bought Krispy Kreme doughnuts home! :)
Fingers-licking good! :)
Ok pause. From now on, my photos are all jumbled up! So I'll flow with the photos! I'm so sorry.
One thing I really loved about Aussie was the really blue skies & the greenery :) Something I always wished for when I'm really stress while studying in school(my pals in school will know what I mean!) These were taken in City park i think? On 1st or 2nd dec, the beginning of Summer.
Ok guess what's this??
This is a remote controller? Haha I don't know what to call this. This very cool thing rings like a handphone when the food you ordered is ready.
Great seafood @ Mures, Hobart, Tasmania! Calamari rock my socks! :) But one thing I was really scared of at the end of the trip was FISH & CHIPS. Everywhere on the streets, you'll see FISH & CHIPS! And that's honeycomb & cookies ice-cream! It will easily cost a $6 in Singapore but it is only $4.50 in Aussie plus you'll probably never get such a generous scoop here!
On our way home one day, we stop by this shop called THE CHEESECAKE SHOP and got this lovely strawberry cheescake for only $23 or $26 i think. Super duper cheesy and nice when freezed!
This beautiful spot is called the Wineglass Bay lookout at Freycinet national park in Tasmania. Tasmania is an awesome place full of great national parks, think over 40 of them? We trekked for about 1hr or so uphill to this lookout place. It was breathtaking, and the air was so fresh. Feels super accomplished when I climbed up there! Suddenly you just feel like all the troubles are gone as you look at the calm blue sea :) I told myself I will visit this place again! The next time I'm there, I'll trek further down for another 1.5h to the bay itself and experience its beauty right infront of my own eyes and not from afar.
The Great Ocean Road! :) Magnificent sight of the ocean. The winds were so strong but it feels so super shiok!!! This is one of the MUST visit sights I guess if you visit Melbourne.
The very famous 12 Apostles! But unfortunately, many of them have fallen due to time, weathering, erosion and everything else.
Blowhole and my family! Fen & Siong from M'sia, Lianlian AY, OKS & Mom!
How lovely Australians are in decorating their homes for Christmas! There was such a thick Christmas atmosphere there when it's only end Nov-beginning Dec. Walking down the street behind Aunt's house, almost every house was beautifully clothed in all these lightings and decor. If I had a house, I would do that too!
Our very comfy & modern lodging place in Hobart! It's a motel but I totally fell in love with this place. Pls stay here if you visit Hobart in Tasmania, you'll never regret! We booked an apartment so it's 2 storey, I'll let the pictures do the talking :)
Master bedroom
The other bedroom - My bro & I shared this room!
The very clean bathroom. The toilet was on the other side!
Wildlife Kangaroo Mama & Baby caught in sight! Really lucky!
We went Cherries picking! And also Strawberries picking! Quite fun! Pluck pluck pluck eat eat eat, freshly from the trees.
My very cute mommy, who was really happy when she's in the fruit farm. Flowers, fruits and vegetables are her love!
Chocolate factory on Philip Island. If you visit Melbourne, you MUST MUST MUST MUST visit Philip Island - the Nobbies & the Penguin Parade!!!
I don't know how to describe this place. But it literally feels like the end of the world, very very very very strong wind. You can lift up your hands, run & attempt to fly and you'll really float alittle! But there are alot of birds there and the birdshit smell can stink quite abit.
Unfortunately we can't take pictures of Penguins because they will be scared. They were so cute, wobbling back in a neat row from the sea. And I saw some mate too! Really funny :) It was an eye-opener.
The last few days in Melbourne was shopping in City! We went to Smith street, a place full of factory outlets. You will love this place if you like to shop. Nike factory outlet - No.1 super worthwhile store to visit.
This is the tram stop! Hahaha rather dangerous!!
One of the best meals I had in Aussie. I fell in love with SALMONS & NECTARINES after this trip.
More photos in FB! :)
After typing & posting photos, I suddenly miss Aussie alittle again. I'll definitely go back there again, and visit the other states of Australia.
Really really learnt many things from this trip, not just sightseeing, eating, shopping and having fun, but learning the strengths of the Australians - the optimism in them, the smiles they have, their hospitality and so much more. Spending a whole uninterrupted 13days with my family, I've also learnt to appreciate them so much more, wanting to love my mum so much so much more :)
Travelling is good! Even Pastor How say As much as you can, go travel and get yourself exposed!
Another 2 weeks to school reopening, which means the crazy & intense schooldays for A level preparation. But I suddenly have such feeling in my heart, my 2010 goal is to Live my life right. In everything I do, I want to have the "whatever" attitude, do my best. Work very hard for A levels and also "turning aside" to God! 2010 will be great!
