When on Australian soil, you got to speak like an Australian mate! If you don't, you'll end up like dear sister - who asked for latte and got tea instead. "But I said it correctly! I said latte. In ENGLISH!" she protested. Yea, still the latte ended up as tea.
Have never had a one-to-one vacation with the sister. This was the first of its kind. So, off we went, to the land down under. Melbourne, to be exact. Thanks to some tourism advertisement that we saw in some paper.
Planning took 2 months. Everything was researched - from hotels to transportation to food to activities to places of interests to tour packages. The sister put up most of the itinerary. Right down to the exact timing. At times, it didn't seemed to be like a relaxing holiday. It seemed more like an episode of "amazing race". Rushing for time. Rushing to catch the tram. Rushing for this. Rushing for that.
We were there in winter. We weren't that accustomed to the cold weather, so it sort of affected our holiday mood. It was freezing cold and the jackets we had on weren't able to provide much warmth. But Australians were seen jogging around in shorts and T-shirts. Unbelievable.
There were a couple of things that made the vacation memorable. They were worth the wait in the chilling weather. They were worth the exorbitant price tags. And they only lasted for an hour each. They were unique to Melbourne, which was what attracted flocks of tourists. We were glad to be part of the experience.
There's the hot air ballooning over Yarra Valley - one of Victoria's winery regions. We had to depart at 4.30am in order to make it in time for sun rise. Unfortunately, due to unstable weather conditions in winter, by the time it was safe for us to take flight, the sun was already up. But considering that we missed the initial flight for the same reason, it sort of didn't matter. The ballooning was operated by Global Ballooning Australia. They are an experienced bunch who followed strict protocols but yet allows you to have loads of fun - by including you to pack and unpack the hot air balloon. It was a once in a lifetime experience - flying over hills and ponds, overlooking grazing horses and sheep, basking in the sun rays, floating on the clouds....as our pilot, Viktor, said, "Welcome to my everyday office!"
Then there's the penguin parade at Phillip Island - the world's smallest penguins, waddling ashore at sunset to their homes in the sand dunes. Why after sunset? Well, as explained by the rangers, it is for safety reasons - the dark of the night and going in groups provides cover from preys. It was a sight not to be missed as 20-30 of them emerged from the sea and waddle across the beach. Standing watch from the platforms, it was hard for us to resist the urge to grab one of them home. They were just too adorable! Unfortunately, we were not allowed to snap any pictures. The flashes and infrared lights will affect the little penguins sight - in more serious cases, they will be blinded by them. All we were allowed to do was to walk them home. It was good enough!
There's also the other sights and sounds that makes Melbourne all the unique....
Street arts, in the city. Not just any scribbles and doodles. These are professional graffiti and street arts, hired by the town council to beautify the city's back lanes. They cover all the major lanes. More popular ones being Hosier Lane and Degrave Street. They make good backdrops for wedding photography too. You'll never look at a trash bin the same way again.
The Twelve Apostles - Port Campbell National Park, by the Great Ocean Road. Natural limestone stacks. The wonders of mother nature. We didn't counted 12 though.
Loch Ard Gorge - Port Campbell National Park, adjacent to the Twelve Apostles. Another work of mother nature. It was named after a shipwreck at the gorge.
Have never had a one-to-one vacation with the sister. This was the first of its kind. So, off we went, to the land down under. Melbourne, to be exact. Thanks to some tourism advertisement that we saw in some paper.
Planning took 2 months. Everything was researched - from hotels to transportation to food to activities to places of interests to tour packages. The sister put up most of the itinerary. Right down to the exact timing. At times, it didn't seemed to be like a relaxing holiday. It seemed more like an episode of "amazing race". Rushing for time. Rushing to catch the tram. Rushing for this. Rushing for that.
We were there in winter. We weren't that accustomed to the cold weather, so it sort of affected our holiday mood. It was freezing cold and the jackets we had on weren't able to provide much warmth. But Australians were seen jogging around in shorts and T-shirts. Unbelievable.
There were a couple of things that made the vacation memorable. They were worth the wait in the chilling weather. They were worth the exorbitant price tags. And they only lasted for an hour each. They were unique to Melbourne, which was what attracted flocks of tourists. We were glad to be part of the experience.
There's the hot air ballooning over Yarra Valley - one of Victoria's winery regions. We had to depart at 4.30am in order to make it in time for sun rise. Unfortunately, due to unstable weather conditions in winter, by the time it was safe for us to take flight, the sun was already up. But considering that we missed the initial flight for the same reason, it sort of didn't matter. The ballooning was operated by Global Ballooning Australia. They are an experienced bunch who followed strict protocols but yet allows you to have loads of fun - by including you to pack and unpack the hot air balloon. It was a once in a lifetime experience - flying over hills and ponds, overlooking grazing horses and sheep, basking in the sun rays, floating on the clouds....as our pilot, Viktor, said, "Welcome to my everyday office!"
the ballooning experience
Then there's the penguin parade at Phillip Island - the world's smallest penguins, waddling ashore at sunset to their homes in the sand dunes. Why after sunset? Well, as explained by the rangers, it is for safety reasons - the dark of the night and going in groups provides cover from preys. It was a sight not to be missed as 20-30 of them emerged from the sea and waddle across the beach. Standing watch from the platforms, it was hard for us to resist the urge to grab one of them home. They were just too adorable! Unfortunately, we were not allowed to snap any pictures. The flashes and infrared lights will affect the little penguins sight - in more serious cases, they will be blinded by them. All we were allowed to do was to walk them home. It was good enough!
the penguin parade promotional pictures
There's also the other sights and sounds that makes Melbourne all the unique....
Street arts, in the city. Not just any scribbles and doodles. These are professional graffiti and street arts, hired by the town council to beautify the city's back lanes. They cover all the major lanes. More popular ones being Hosier Lane and Degrave Street. They make good backdrops for wedding photography too. You'll never look at a trash bin the same way again.
The Twelve Apostles - Port Campbell National Park, by the Great Ocean Road. Natural limestone stacks. The wonders of mother nature. We didn't counted 12 though.
Loch Ard Gorge - Port Campbell National Park, adjacent to the Twelve Apostles. Another work of mother nature. It was named after a shipwreck at the gorge.
The Puffing Billy steam train ride - travels from Belgrave to Gembrook through the Dandenong Ranges on its original track. But for us tourists, the ride lasted a quarter of the track, where we disembarked at Menzies Creek. The open-sided carriages allows you to hang your legs out of it while you enjoy the stunning forest view.
Queen Victoria market. One of the historical landmarks of Melbourne. You'll find everything and anything you need there. Fresh produce, meats, vegetables, fruits, cheese, seafood, nuts, clothes, shoes, souveniers, wine, spices, snacks...anything! We were impressed with how tidy and how clean the place was given the crowd that was there. Word of advice : don't bother buying from other tourist spots, be it souveniers or food. Spend more time at the market, you'll find loads of varieties at more reasonable prices.
Luna 1878 winter night market. Only happens every Wednesday night during winter. Queen Victoria market is transformed into a stage for live performances coupled with savory delights from all around the world.
And of course, how can we leave out Australia's most famous furry animals - the kangaroos and the koalas. Didn't expect that we would be all excited in patting and feeding them. Well, it's not everyday that we get to be this close to them.
Perhaps I would return someday. I still very much like to see the vineyards in its full bloom. I dream of sipping wine among the vines amidst a picturesque sun setting behind the hills.....
