Australia Trip (Day 1&2)

Day 1&2 – 2 & 3 July 2008 (Wed & Thurs)

Today me & JiewAiel gonna fly to Australia from Singapore Changi Airport. Our flight is at 6pm and we had to check in at 4pm. Before depart to Changi Airport, we rush to Jurong East to buy sport shoe (me) and jacket (JA) as friend who studied in Melbourne advised us to bring more jackets as this week is getting cooler. We finished our stuff at 3pm. It’s a bit late as we need to check in at 4pm. Thus, we took taxi to airport. It cost us about S$22 from Jurong East to airport.

This is my 1^st time to Australia. It’s also my 1^st time to travel alone without family or tour agency. Thus, I’m very excited but also very scare that we failed pass through Australia immigration since many told us that we are young and immigration officer might misunderstood we go there for work illegally instead of travelling. JA scared till bought all brand new toiletries travelling kit, even in foreign brand. According to her friend, it’s better to avoid bring in things which “made in Thailand” or “made in Malaysia” as it might be failed to pass through Australia immigration (actually the brand won’t make u failed through immigration) = =” . There are so many sincere advices from friends & families since we are 1^st time travel to Australia.

There are 4 terminals at Changi Airport and ours is at budget terminal. After check in, we ate while waiting to depart. The food in airport is not so expensive as we thought, the price is almost same as other place. We ordered vanilla milk shake, coffee, and Foccacia ham sandwiches. It’s about S$8.00.

Finally, we are in Tiger Airline flight. We will be flying to Darwin and then proceed to Melbourne. In the flight, me and JA read Melbourne & Gold Coast book to get know more about its interesting places and nice foods. At 10.30pm (Malaysia time), we reached Darwin. We filled up immigration form and start going through the “test” of immigration department. The immigration asked us few question such as occupation, reason of coming to Australia, and length of stay. Surprisingly, we passed easily, even our luggage never been opened for checking. We still saw people pass through easily too although they brought in medicines and foods. It’s really not hard as told by friends and families. JA said maybe it’s 12am (Australia time), the officers are sleepy and that’s why we passed through easily. A nice explanation huh ???

After Darwin, we fly again to Melbourne at 2am. Finally, we reached safely at Melbourne airport. While inside plane, I thought it won’t be so cold thus we just simply wear a jacket. When we step out from plane, the cool wind kept blow towards our face. JA was cold until her teeth and leg shaking. It’s really freeze and cold. We rushed to toilet for add on more jackets. I wore up to 3 jackets and it made me look fatter =p

We took skybus to Southern Cross, Melbourne City. Since we didn’t know how to go to HanWah’s house which located at Lygon St, I approached an officer at tourist information counter. He gave a map and asked us to take no.75 tram and changed to another tram at xxx st (I forget the name). We followed his direction, AND we lost … During finding correct way went to friend’s house, there are 3 nice people guided us the way. Thanks to them and finally we reached after 1 hour ++ (the actual distance is only 15 mins)

At night, HW brought us for dinner and walk along Melbourne City. We walked from his house till Melbourne City. It took us about 1/2 hour and surprisingly we didn't feel tired of walking. Maybe it's because of the cold weather. (If asked me to walk in Malaysia, especially KL for half hour, I rather spent money for transport =p) There are many Italian restaurant along the way. We took dinner at a Italian pizza restaurant as all the pizzas are half priced on Thursday. The pizzas are different with PizzaHut's pizzas. It more crispy and nicer =p After pizza, we continued walked and visit chinatown & melbourne central. Along the way back, we stop while for eating ice-cream, cheese cake & coffee. Overall, we ate 3 times for the night XD

...

After back from Australia on last Tuesday, maybe sat non-stop flight (8 hours) and also took 5 times flight in 2 weeks, I repeated 3 steps (eat, sleep, watch movie) continuously for 4 days. Finally, my battery fully charged and now have mood to edit my 1500 photos & update my blog. I'm too piggy XD Sorry for waiting =p

Erm...I tried to recall back memories about what had done at Australia. I'll be posting up words & photos according to the days. As such, the total of the days will be 12 days (hope you all won't bored by the long words =p) . I'll try to finish upload all as soon as possible.

Hope you all like it =)

Gold Coast

This my 2nd time online at Australia but this time is at my hotel's internet cafe at Gold Coast. Today is my 3rd day at Gold Coast.

I'm really happy (can say damn "syiok") when stepped in hotel apartment room. 1st is it's very big (1 king size bed & 2 single bed), fully equip kitchen (microwave, oven, bread toast, steamboat poat, many many more), a clean bathroom...and the staffs are very friendly, even the price is quite cheap !! It's A$510 for 7 nights. (Melaka st.meridian apartment hotel also cost RM200++ per night) The apartment can in max 4 people. Imagine if you with another 3/4 friends coming for holidays..It only costs you about A$100-130 for 7 nights PLUS if you buy AirAsia promotion ticket (free ticket frm m'sia to gold coast) which costs about RM 600 - 700 for return trip. Total of flight + accomodation is about RM1000, and you can go to Australia dy....

Australia is a nice place, especially Melbourne (for me, it's a city of art) ... The lifestyle here is quite relax. If you like art and want see Australia buildings + culture, it's nice to go Melbourne. In other way, if you like theme park / shopping, Gold Coast is a nice place for you. Anyway, this is my suggestion =)

Since MJ want see some Australia pictures, just upload some here... I'll try edit and upload the pictures asap after i back from Australia since there are 1000++ pictures (though just 8th day here) >.<

My dear family & frenz ... Miss you guys =)

melbourne state library

flinders station , melbourne
mt. buller (snow hill) in melbourne
melbourne city

surfer paradise, gold coast

our gold coast apartment hotel for 7 nights stay ... very like it =)
sea world, gold coast

Melbourne

Hihi everyone...Currently, I'm at Melbourne University's library online...

I'm glad that we pass through Australia immigration, not bad and serious as many friends' said that it's hard to go through immigration since we are young and people might misunderstood that we go to Australia to work illegally.

Melbourne is a nice place. Now is winter time thus it's really really cold and I had to wear up to 3 jacket =p Melbourne people are nice and friendly too. Yesterday was the 1st day to Melbourne, we had lost during way to friend's house. Luckily, there are 3 kind Australia people guided us along the way. Thanks to them =)

Besides the scenery and people, there are different types of foods in Melbourne such as Chinese cuisine, malay, italy, greek, vietnam, etc... We ate 3 times in 2 hours for trying different foods (very full >.<) such as Italy pizza, mocha, cheese cake, and 3 flavor ice-cream (an unique experience for eating ice-cream during winter time =p)

I'll stay at Melbourne for 5 days and fly to Gold coast & brisbane for 7 days... Will upload the photos soon.... =)

Singapore National Library

Erm...Don't know whether is there anyone go somewhere travel till visit library??? Frankly speaking, I purposely go to library because of a mission - borrowing the travel guide book to avoid lost in Australia =p ... I feel not buying the book as it quite costly for me to use only 2 weeks >.< ($60++ per book)

The national library of Singapore is located near to Bugis Junction. It's really huge and nice compare to my country library =p It's about 10 storeys ++ ... The escalator is sensor which mean it only works after you step your foots at the escalator. What I like is:

1. there are many types of books in Chinese, English, Malay ( my hometown library only have malay & english... no chinese books >.<)
2. short pants, sleeveless shirt are allowed ... if you not feel cold hehe (It's not like m'sia that only allow long pants , sleeve shirt )
3. bag can be taken in at the central lending department (as i know, bag is not allow to taken in at my hometown library)
4. all services such as payment & borrowing can be done by own self at the machines
5. you can give back the borrowing books at any drop center at any branch of library at anytime ... it's so convenient (I think if we borrow book at Selangor branch, can't be giving back at KL branch right??)

even the washroom is also nicer =p

there is a TV outside the department

it's introduction about the history of library through the phone

library e-kiosk : u can pay your fine here by using Nets / ezlink card

theater department

Yummy Yummy

Huh...Long time no updating blog as always forget transfer the pictures to computer =p

Here's some nice yummy foods that I tried while "kai kai" in Singapore =) Here want to thanks to "chou zhu tou" who brought me to those places for trying the nice foods [as he want me to promote him in the blog haha =p] Hopefully I wont fat back again as always eat eat eat >.<

1st - Ichiban Sushi [ a Janapenese restaurant which is located at Jurong Point shopping mall. It always fully seated and had to queue up for waiting the seats]

Ichiban Sushi

egg mayosalmon cheesecan see plenty of salmon, unagi inside the glasses???

2nd - "Xiao Xuan Feng" restaurant [ a Shanghai restaurant at Thiong Bharu Plaza. The price is quite reasonable. It only costs $20 for 2 ramen, 2 drinks & "xiao long bao". I had gone there twice since the foods are very very nice. I like it especially its hand-made ramen !! ]

Xiao Xuan Feng restaurant

you can see how the cook made the "xiao long bao" while you're waiting for the foods

hand-made ramen ...

"xiao long bao"

value meal - crispy chicken ramen ($5)

pork ramen soup

dessert - taufu v longan (the taste of taufu is different with normal taufu)

yeong cheow fried rice

fried garlic ramen (this I like the most, but a bit oily =p )

Nic3 foods in Singapore

There are 3 objectives for me at Singapore:-
1st - attending job interview
2nd - playing around & visit NUS friend
3rd - waiting to fly from sg to aus

that's me =)

I been brought to 2 places to try nice foods. First is dim sum while second is claypot rice. Both these foods are famous among Singaporeans.

Prima Tower, a revolving restaurant, is famous with its dim sum. It's near to Vivo City. To go to there, you need to take MRT to Harbourfront.The unique of the restaurant is it will revolving and customers can enjoy different view of scenery while eating their foods. It take about 45 minutes to finish a circle. You will not only seeing different part of scenery outside the restaurant, but also different part of the internal restaurant. The restaurant always full of customers. Thus, it's advisable to book the seats, especially on weekend and public holidays. According to Cynthia, a cute sg gal, it's the place for rich people or businessman to hang around, either "yamcha" or doing business stuff. So, why normal people (can say not rich fellow) like us at here?? Because... she worked there before and can get a little discount =) Thanks to the discount and her intro, we can try the delicious dim sum XD

PrimaTower

porridge- damn nice, i like it =)mouthwatering dim sum
bar counterportVivoCity in the middle4 new frenz - stella,lijuan, cynthia ...

Another nice food to try in Singapore--->claypot rice which is available at a stall called "New Lucky Claypot Rice". This food stall is located near to Clementi MRT station. When come to the high popularity food, you must book the seat too before you come. If you don't book, you will take 45mins - 1 hour to wait for the food served. Claypot rice will be nicer to eat with soup & vegetables.

New Lucky Claypot Rice

vege+soup+claypot rice = nice combination