Ever feel like taking a break from the normal routine? Ever feel like throwing everything down and just take a holiday? Well, one thing for sure, Yun Yen & I sure did have those ideas flowing around our head. Times flies. Unknowingly, we have been in Perth for one and a half year. All the dinners party we have been, the KTV sessions, shopping in the city and etc... just seems to be getting bored suddenly. It felt like I have a routine that I have to follow every week and it is always the same old routine such as "Tuesday": Waffle Day/Movie, Thursday and Friday: "Late Night Shopping", Sat/Sun: "Dinner Parties/BBQ".
Then YunYen (A.K.A Dear) suggested:"Why don't we take a holiday to Sydney?" My first reaction was like: My eyes were rolling. Half of me was arguing:"No, don't go. You need alot of money to do that" The other half was telling me:"You should go. Everyone who goes overseas to study always backpack to all the states." Well, anyway, that was the evil and holy me arguing at the background. Meanwhile, we went to surf the VirginBlue website as we were informed that every now and then, air tickets will be on discount. With our finger cross, we literally surfing the website daily. Just hoping for that magic moment to appear. Aside from the air tickets, I have to think of ways to make this trip a budget one. Then it came to my mind, one of my good friend, Lat study in Sydney !! I gave him a rang and guess what's the outcome. He was even more excited than me about the trip. Thank goodness, you were there Bro. With this resolve, the last part is the ticket.
After months of surfing, we never got a good price on the tickets. It was simply expensive to fly to Sydney. The cheapest ticket we saw was like $5xx Aus Dollar. Well, it was at this point, I felt like giving up. It's simply just too expensive. Good thing, my dear kept asking me daily:" Are we sure, we don't want the trip?" Not to forget the mention, she kept showing me the website too. This is the part that seems hazy to me. I only recall that dear pop that question again and I reply:"Well, just take my debit card and we'll just fly down to Sydney." And that's the story on how we decided to fly off to Sydney.
Anyway, Yes!? yes!? After months of hard work at the Thai restaurant(Tida Thai) and juggling work with school (haiz~), finally, I can put everything aside and go on a Holiday. HOLIDAY Holiday !!~~!!! So excited about it.
The day was: 28/06/2006 and the time was 10.30 pm. It was pretty last minute but I manage to get Jeremy for sending us to the domestic airport in his Jeep. Thanks a million, Bro. I do have to comment that the road to the Domestic airport is really different from the international airport. It is so much better lighted and decorated as compare to the international airport. Usually, it is the international airport that is really the highly decorated one. However, for this case here in Perth, it seems otherwise. Well, as usual, how could it be called a holiday without some photos!?
Once Jeremy drop us off, we,of course, waste absolutely no time in posing for photos. Now that I think back again, it do feel kind of "pai sei". 2 Asians running about posing and snapping photos every step they walk. After a satisfying session of photo taking, we head down to the counter to check in. However, to my horror, I couldn’t find the Virgin Blue check in counter. After some enquiry with a security, I finally realised that we were at the wrong terminal. It was like OMG. How can I not see where my airline is before I got off the car. Now we have to walk to terminal 3 !!! The very first though that came to my mind was: Is there even such thing call a skytrain in Australia? Well, the truth was indeed sad. It was a BIG BIG NO !!! But one good thing was the terminals are really small, so it was a few minutes walk down to terminal 3.
Finally, the correct terminal at last. We did a fast check in and start touring around the airport. Guess what we did again, it's not that hard : )? Of course, take more pictures.
The domestic airport is as small as the international airport. I can't believe my eyes. The check-in counter were like in the middle of the everything. The departure and arrival hall were like beside the check-in counter. And Worse, I don't see any security check-point for the arrival hall. People just walk out and collect their luggage. Gezz....guess must be the different culture and different way of management. Well ok never mind, now its time for us to go into the departure hall and do whatever custom they have.
The first thing that came into my mind was I need to check in really quick. The security might take awhile, since at this point in time, they are stepping up security and they might have to stamp my passport. But hey guess what, we got through in less than 30 sec and no one even bother to look at us. I was like WHAT!!!!
Did I got through screening that fast !?
The departure hall was really really super small. Seriously, it doesn't take one very long to walk from 1 end to another (around 10mins if you stroll really really slow).
Two Tired Souls and the small domestic airport.
At last, time now is 12.20am, 29/06/2006, the call for our flight finally arrives.
Calling for us Yeah Yeah
Lo Ahold!! Lets enter this gate now
Yes, Sydney here we come!! But hey where is the hallway to walk to the plane? What !? I can't believe it, I have to walk down a flight of stairs and to the plane myself. Man I though that kind of stuff only happen in China. But looks like Perth is also the same. Guess, I can’t expect much from Perth domestic airline. Happily we got up the plane and sat down. Just when our seat were getting warm up, someone asked: "Excuse me, I think you have taken my seat." I turned my head and hey that's my lecturer from Murdoch University: Paul Brain. “Wonder does he still remember me?” Well, we check our ticket and hey we have two tickets with the same seat number printed on it. Great right!? Anyway, Paul remembered me and wishes me luck for my grades (It just feel so great that a lecturer remember me). However, this is the part where I don't really like about. We got relocated to seat 11E and 11F !? Until this very day, I still feel I am being discriminated. I meant this is a technical error from their computer system. Why must 2 people move from their seat just because he refuse to sit at the back? This is all so wrong but no it is just not going to ruined the mood.
The new seats were freaking crappy. Why? First, the seats were solid hard. Throughout the flight, my butt had the feeling that it going to get butt-cramp. Next, the engine roars so loud that I hardly get to slept a wink. Finally, just when I was about to doze off. They have to make the very announcement that we are approaching Sydney in 5 minutes. I was like No way Right!? It's 4am Perth time but Sydney apparently is 2 hrs ahead of Perth so it’s 6am for them. Darn!? I guess this is why they call it jet-lag. Not everything turn out so bad after all, we did manage to catch a great view on the plane: My first Sunrise on the Plane in Sydney. It was awesome.
Sunrise On the Plane Above Sydney
After a long night, we have finally landed in Sydney. I don't know whether is it the excitement of the holiday nor is it just because it is Sydney itself. I must comment that the air feels totally different and not to forget the airport is also different too. Gosh, at last, a real airport. We could feel life bursting out and then best part is there are so much more shops in Sydney airport!!
It is 6am in the morning (Sydney Time), both of us were like really hungry after such a tiring night. What more could satisfy us than the most important meal of the day breakfast. The very first shop I saw and not to forget to mention how bright the signboard is : Krispy Kreme. We have always watch American series that show that the Americans love their doughnuts. But why? What serious is so good about it? Well here are we going to try out.
Oh my goodness, it is simply heavenly. The doughnut is so soft and the filling is so rich. This is sure a GOOD doughnut.
Breakfast & exhausted
We waited for awhile before Lat arrives to pick us up. *Thanks man bro, for getting up so early* After some introducing with each other, we finally head down to check out Sydney.
The Small Incident:
While walking to the car, Lat told us that the carpark fees in Sydney is very expensive especially the airport. So out of curiosity, I followed him to check it out. But by the time I got there, he had paid up and was waiting for the change to drop. Then the funny thing happens: The machine spit out a $20 dollar note. Now come to think of it, I must be really exhausted because I had the perception that wow these machine in Sydney can give you back changes in notes. That is simply so cool. So while walking back to the car, I gave him back his $20 dollar notes change and he kept saying no need man bro. I was like what? What on earth he don't want his change back. It really took me awhile to register what he was trying to tell me. Lat was convinced that I was trying to pay him back the parking fees, which I seriously do want too. But this was different, I was just trying to give back his change. He told me that he have already got back his change. I was like what!? Then why did the machine spit out this $20 dollar? He say this was the amount he put into the machine and insisted that I need no pay him. This goes on for 20 minutes just to convince him the situation that it was the machine who spit the money out and I have not take out any money yet to pay him. He was surprised that this even happen. Well, yunyen (aka. Dear dear) of course told him: well, if you have been long with me. You understand this sort of things always happen for some reason. Anyway, what a great way to start our holiday. With the rumbling of his engine, our trip in Sydney finally begin.
Streets of Sydney look at the amount of traffic at this hour its only like 7am.
First stop: UNSW to drop our luggage.
Seriously, comparing Murdoch flat and the apartment from UNSW aparments, it is so different. UNSW apartments are really located just behind the University. You just have to walk down the stairs from your apartment and turn and you arrives at the University. Murdoch Student village is still like a 5 minutes walk to University. It is a very cosy apartment and from the window from Lat's room, I could feel the flow of life in the city. It is so much different in Perth. After we drop our stuff in his room, Lat brought us down to Botany Bay which is one of the very place where MI2 was film.
Fans of Mission Impossible would know this place. This location was shot in Mission Impossible 2. Aside from being a good place to sightsee, we also saw quite a number of people coming here to fish and dive.
It was while sightseeing, we had an unexpected accident. My dear slipped and fell on the rocks. Poor thing, she ended up having bruise all over her legs. So if anyone intend to visit there, be warn that it is very slippery.
Dino foot marks
Heading for Branch:
After this incident, we decided to head down to a nearby restaurant known as Boatshed cafe, for our branch.
We oredered a salad and a seafood platter, and enjoy the meal with a fantastic view of the sea. A crystal clear, blue sea with water that one could see the clear white sand and a few boats floating over the sea.
Bondi Beach:
After branch, we went down to take a sneak peek at the Bondi beach. Bondi beach has always been well-known in Australia for its lifeguards. They even make it into a series to show how effective and good are the lifeguards here. Today, I'm going to get a chance to see these heroes.
With a cosy sea breeze blowing at your face and the sight of clear water with white sand. How can we not be excited.
Even though, it is winter. The beach is still bursting with life. People are running around, surfing, enjoying a stroll down the beach, model posing, etc ...
After a nice refreshing stroll by the beach, our next stop: Paddington Street. Here at Paddington Street, I highly recommend everyone to try this delicacy: The Chocolate Strawberry. A relatively huge, sweet strawberry coated with delicious dark chocolate. The chocolate texture is just nice, smooth and not too thick and the strawberry is super juicy. Every bit you could feel the strawberry juice spurting out of the berry coated chocolate. It's heaven once you tasted it. It's mouth watering just thinking of it.
Chocolate Strawberry
Our little exploration at Paddington (Two Thumbs up)
After stuffing ourself with the delicacy, we head back to UNSW to take a break. While we are taking a break, Lat head down to the airport again to pick up his brother, who came from Brisbane, to join us. After some self introduction, all of us head down to Chinatown or otherwise known as Market Street to get some quotes for our ski trip.
It took us sometime hopping from agency to agency to get those quotes. Some of them were already fully booked. We sure have to decide fast. Next stop, the speed boat trill ride. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, the ride had close. They stop selling out rides by 5pm due to the weather. Oh well, we can't grumble much. Since we are down Darling Harbour, we might as well head down to the Rock for dinner. Talk about famished.
The Rock is a 24 hr restaurant which is famous for it's exotic pancakes. Unlike MacDonald who serve it in a standard version (Butter and Honey), the Rock offer more varieties. From chocolate pancakes with strawberries, cream, chocolate ice-cream sauce to buttermilk pancakes with lemon wedges, sugar crystals, cream and vanilla cream. It's such a sinful yet indulging feast of pancakes. But, since it is dinner, we can't possible only order pancakes to eat. We had a pizzas and pork & beef ribs. It was still yummy delicious.
After a sumptuous dinner, we head down to Circular Quay for a stroll. Walking along the Circular Quay, we could see the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera house. What more can I say expect: magnificent and breathtaking.
See the Cute face gate on the corner. That is the Luna Park.
After a nice stroll, it is time to leave the Cirular Quay and head down to PARTY @ the Ice Bar. Although, it is just like 15 min walk to the bar but since our carpark ticket was about to expire soon, so Lat had to drive to another carpark slot to park.
The Ice bar (A.K.A Minus 5):
This is one bar I would recommend people to try it out. Everything within the bar is made from ice: cups, chairs and waterfall too. The only limitation is that you only get to stay in there for half an hour and it cost you Aus $30 with one free drink. Aside from the price, it is really an eye-opening experience and fun when you enter as a group.
Choosing our jacket & gloves; a timer to let us know when to leave the the place; enjoying the free drinks; exhausted and freezing after 1/2 hr
After the ice bar, we stroll down Circular Quay one more time before we went back to the UNSW apartment to sleep.
Close up of Sydney Opera House
Time to leave and rest early. Tomorrow HUNTER VALLEY here we come.
Then YunYen (A.K.A Dear) suggested:"Why don't we take a holiday to Sydney?" My first reaction was like: My eyes were rolling. Half of me was arguing:"No, don't go. You need alot of money to do that" The other half was telling me:"You should go. Everyone who goes overseas to study always backpack to all the states." Well, anyway, that was the evil and holy me arguing at the background. Meanwhile, we went to surf the VirginBlue website as we were informed that every now and then, air tickets will be on discount. With our finger cross, we literally surfing the website daily. Just hoping for that magic moment to appear. Aside from the air tickets, I have to think of ways to make this trip a budget one. Then it came to my mind, one of my good friend, Lat study in Sydney !! I gave him a rang and guess what's the outcome. He was even more excited than me about the trip. Thank goodness, you were there Bro. With this resolve, the last part is the ticket.
After months of surfing, we never got a good price on the tickets. It was simply expensive to fly to Sydney. The cheapest ticket we saw was like $5xx Aus Dollar. Well, it was at this point, I felt like giving up. It's simply just too expensive. Good thing, my dear kept asking me daily:" Are we sure, we don't want the trip?" Not to forget the mention, she kept showing me the website too. This is the part that seems hazy to me. I only recall that dear pop that question again and I reply:"Well, just take my debit card and we'll just fly down to Sydney." And that's the story on how we decided to fly off to Sydney.
Anyway, Yes!? yes!? After months of hard work at the Thai restaurant(Tida Thai) and juggling work with school (haiz~), finally, I can put everything aside and go on a Holiday. HOLIDAY Holiday !!~~!!! So excited about it.
The day was: 28/06/2006 and the time was 10.30 pm. It was pretty last minute but I manage to get Jeremy for sending us to the domestic airport in his Jeep. Thanks a million, Bro. I do have to comment that the road to the Domestic airport is really different from the international airport. It is so much better lighted and decorated as compare to the international airport. Usually, it is the international airport that is really the highly decorated one. However, for this case here in Perth, it seems otherwise. Well, as usual, how could it be called a holiday without some photos!?
Once Jeremy drop us off, we,of course, waste absolutely no time in posing for photos. Now that I think back again, it do feel kind of "pai sei". 2 Asians running about posing and snapping photos every step they walk. After a satisfying session of photo taking, we head down to the counter to check in. However, to my horror, I couldn’t find the Virgin Blue check in counter. After some enquiry with a security, I finally realised that we were at the wrong terminal. It was like OMG. How can I not see where my airline is before I got off the car. Now we have to walk to terminal 3 !!! The very first though that came to my mind was: Is there even such thing call a skytrain in Australia? Well, the truth was indeed sad. It was a BIG BIG NO !!! But one good thing was the terminals are really small, so it was a few minutes walk down to terminal 3.
Finally, the correct terminal at last. We did a fast check in and start touring around the airport. Guess what we did again, it's not that hard : )? Of course, take more pictures.
The domestic airport is as small as the international airport. I can't believe my eyes. The check-in counter were like in the middle of the everything. The departure and arrival hall were like beside the check-in counter. And Worse, I don't see any security check-point for the arrival hall. People just walk out and collect their luggage. Gezz....guess must be the different culture and different way of management. Well ok never mind, now its time for us to go into the departure hall and do whatever custom they have.
The first thing that came into my mind was I need to check in really quick. The security might take awhile, since at this point in time, they are stepping up security and they might have to stamp my passport. But hey guess what, we got through in less than 30 sec and no one even bother to look at us. I was like WHAT!!!!
Did I got through screening that fast !?
The departure hall was really really super small. Seriously, it doesn't take one very long to walk from 1 end to another (around 10mins if you stroll really really slow).
Two Tired Souls and the small domestic airport.
At last, time now is 12.20am, 29/06/2006, the call for our flight finally arrives.
Calling for us Yeah Yeah
Lo Ahold!! Lets enter this gate now
Yes, Sydney here we come!! But hey where is the hallway to walk to the plane? What !? I can't believe it, I have to walk down a flight of stairs and to the plane myself. Man I though that kind of stuff only happen in China. But looks like Perth is also the same. Guess, I can’t expect much from Perth domestic airline. Happily we got up the plane and sat down. Just when our seat were getting warm up, someone asked: "Excuse me, I think you have taken my seat." I turned my head and hey that's my lecturer from Murdoch University: Paul Brain. “Wonder does he still remember me?” Well, we check our ticket and hey we have two tickets with the same seat number printed on it. Great right!? Anyway, Paul remembered me and wishes me luck for my grades (It just feel so great that a lecturer remember me). However, this is the part where I don't really like about. We got relocated to seat 11E and 11F !? Until this very day, I still feel I am being discriminated. I meant this is a technical error from their computer system. Why must 2 people move from their seat just because he refuse to sit at the back? This is all so wrong but no it is just not going to ruined the mood.
The new seats were freaking crappy. Why? First, the seats were solid hard. Throughout the flight, my butt had the feeling that it going to get butt-cramp. Next, the engine roars so loud that I hardly get to slept a wink. Finally, just when I was about to doze off. They have to make the very announcement that we are approaching Sydney in 5 minutes. I was like No way Right!? It's 4am Perth time but Sydney apparently is 2 hrs ahead of Perth so it’s 6am for them. Darn!? I guess this is why they call it jet-lag. Not everything turn out so bad after all, we did manage to catch a great view on the plane: My first Sunrise on the Plane in Sydney. It was awesome.
Sunrise On the Plane Above Sydney
After a long night, we have finally landed in Sydney. I don't know whether is it the excitement of the holiday nor is it just because it is Sydney itself. I must comment that the air feels totally different and not to forget the airport is also different too. Gosh, at last, a real airport. We could feel life bursting out and then best part is there are so much more shops in Sydney airport!!
It is 6am in the morning (Sydney Time), both of us were like really hungry after such a tiring night. What more could satisfy us than the most important meal of the day breakfast. The very first shop I saw and not to forget to mention how bright the signboard is : Krispy Kreme. We have always watch American series that show that the Americans love their doughnuts. But why? What serious is so good about it? Well here are we going to try out.
Oh my goodness, it is simply heavenly. The doughnut is so soft and the filling is so rich. This is sure a GOOD doughnut.
Breakfast & exhausted
We waited for awhile before Lat arrives to pick us up. *Thanks man bro, for getting up so early* After some introducing with each other, we finally head down to check out Sydney.
The Small Incident:
While walking to the car, Lat told us that the carpark fees in Sydney is very expensive especially the airport. So out of curiosity, I followed him to check it out. But by the time I got there, he had paid up and was waiting for the change to drop. Then the funny thing happens: The machine spit out a $20 dollar note. Now come to think of it, I must be really exhausted because I had the perception that wow these machine in Sydney can give you back changes in notes. That is simply so cool. So while walking back to the car, I gave him back his $20 dollar notes change and he kept saying no need man bro. I was like what? What on earth he don't want his change back. It really took me awhile to register what he was trying to tell me. Lat was convinced that I was trying to pay him back the parking fees, which I seriously do want too. But this was different, I was just trying to give back his change. He told me that he have already got back his change. I was like what!? Then why did the machine spit out this $20 dollar? He say this was the amount he put into the machine and insisted that I need no pay him. This goes on for 20 minutes just to convince him the situation that it was the machine who spit the money out and I have not take out any money yet to pay him. He was surprised that this even happen. Well, yunyen (aka. Dear dear) of course told him: well, if you have been long with me. You understand this sort of things always happen for some reason. Anyway, what a great way to start our holiday. With the rumbling of his engine, our trip in Sydney finally begin.
Streets of Sydney look at the amount of traffic at this hour its only like 7am.
First stop: UNSW to drop our luggage.
Seriously, comparing Murdoch flat and the apartment from UNSW aparments, it is so different. UNSW apartments are really located just behind the University. You just have to walk down the stairs from your apartment and turn and you arrives at the University. Murdoch Student village is still like a 5 minutes walk to University. It is a very cosy apartment and from the window from Lat's room, I could feel the flow of life in the city. It is so much different in Perth. After we drop our stuff in his room, Lat brought us down to Botany Bay which is one of the very place where MI2 was film.
Fans of Mission Impossible would know this place. This location was shot in Mission Impossible 2. Aside from being a good place to sightsee, we also saw quite a number of people coming here to fish and dive.
It was while sightseeing, we had an unexpected accident. My dear slipped and fell on the rocks. Poor thing, she ended up having bruise all over her legs. So if anyone intend to visit there, be warn that it is very slippery.
Dino foot marks
Heading for Branch:
After this incident, we decided to head down to a nearby restaurant known as Boatshed cafe, for our branch.
We oredered a salad and a seafood platter, and enjoy the meal with a fantastic view of the sea. A crystal clear, blue sea with water that one could see the clear white sand and a few boats floating over the sea.
Bondi Beach:
After branch, we went down to take a sneak peek at the Bondi beach. Bondi beach has always been well-known in Australia for its lifeguards. They even make it into a series to show how effective and good are the lifeguards here. Today, I'm going to get a chance to see these heroes.
With a cosy sea breeze blowing at your face and the sight of clear water with white sand. How can we not be excited.
Even though, it is winter. The beach is still bursting with life. People are running around, surfing, enjoying a stroll down the beach, model posing, etc ...
After a nice refreshing stroll by the beach, our next stop: Paddington Street. Here at Paddington Street, I highly recommend everyone to try this delicacy: The Chocolate Strawberry. A relatively huge, sweet strawberry coated with delicious dark chocolate. The chocolate texture is just nice, smooth and not too thick and the strawberry is super juicy. Every bit you could feel the strawberry juice spurting out of the berry coated chocolate. It's heaven once you tasted it. It's mouth watering just thinking of it.
Chocolate Strawberry
Our little exploration at Paddington (Two Thumbs up)
After stuffing ourself with the delicacy, we head back to UNSW to take a break. While we are taking a break, Lat head down to the airport again to pick up his brother, who came from Brisbane, to join us. After some self introduction, all of us head down to Chinatown or otherwise known as Market Street to get some quotes for our ski trip.
It took us sometime hopping from agency to agency to get those quotes. Some of them were already fully booked. We sure have to decide fast. Next stop, the speed boat trill ride. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, the ride had close. They stop selling out rides by 5pm due to the weather. Oh well, we can't grumble much. Since we are down Darling Harbour, we might as well head down to the Rock for dinner. Talk about famished.
The Rock is a 24 hr restaurant which is famous for it's exotic pancakes. Unlike MacDonald who serve it in a standard version (Butter and Honey), the Rock offer more varieties. From chocolate pancakes with strawberries, cream, chocolate ice-cream sauce to buttermilk pancakes with lemon wedges, sugar crystals, cream and vanilla cream. It's such a sinful yet indulging feast of pancakes. But, since it is dinner, we can't possible only order pancakes to eat. We had a pizzas and pork & beef ribs. It was still yummy delicious.
After a sumptuous dinner, we head down to Circular Quay for a stroll. Walking along the Circular Quay, we could see the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera house. What more can I say expect: magnificent and breathtaking.
See the Cute face gate on the corner. That is the Luna Park.
After a nice stroll, it is time to leave the Cirular Quay and head down to PARTY @ the Ice Bar. Although, it is just like 15 min walk to the bar but since our carpark ticket was about to expire soon, so Lat had to drive to another carpark slot to park.
The Ice bar (A.K.A Minus 5):
This is one bar I would recommend people to try it out. Everything within the bar is made from ice: cups, chairs and waterfall too. The only limitation is that you only get to stay in there for half an hour and it cost you Aus $30 with one free drink. Aside from the price, it is really an eye-opening experience and fun when you enter as a group.
Choosing our jacket & gloves; a timer to let us know when to leave the the place; enjoying the free drinks; exhausted and freezing after 1/2 hr
After the ice bar, we stroll down Circular Quay one more time before we went back to the UNSW apartment to sleep.
Close up of Sydney Opera House
Time to leave and rest early. Tomorrow HUNTER VALLEY here we come.
