Tuesday 28 June 2016

From Melbourne to Sydney

After spending 5 days in Melbourne, it's time for the next leg of the trip, to Sydney..

It was my second Sydney trip after going solo in Sept 2014, and now I am back again here, with the family..

It was barely 7am when we left our hotel towards the airport, having bear in mind that it will be a long commute because of the heavy traffic expected that morning, and the nasty crawl outside Tullamarine.. 


Me seated and all good to go

First time flying with Qantas.. first flight with Qantas in a domestic leg..

Qantas domestic terminal

Emptyness

That's the 737 that would be flying us..

Gate 9
 
Surprisingly, the 737 interior looks awesome and good..
And it's comfortable too.. and you get your welcome message

The AVOD
 
There's also Seat-To-Seat Messaging.. means if you see someone you fancy on board...
hhehe.. how about a quickie text?

Simple refreshment for the 1 hour flight.. No options, unfortunately it's beef balls..
I cannot eat so I gave it away...

I love flying

Landed in Sydney Airport

Warning: Photo taking on the tarmac is an offence. I got reprimanded for taking this selfie..
Damnit

Hmm.. I wouldn't want to go through the anus of that thing..

So I walked beside it...
Our pickup was late and by the time we got to our apartment, it was around noon (or was it afternoon, cant' remember).. We stayed in Haymarket, nearby to Chinatown and two roads away from Sussex Street.. teeheee...

Apartment booked on airbnb because hotel rooms in Sydney is ridiculously expensive.. and we got the apartment for a week for about AUD2k..

Living room with sofa beds, and a huge balcony

Master bedroom with a balcony

Room 2

Common bathroom

View.. overlooking Central Station on the far right..

Looking down, I spotted the rainbow flag, on Goulburn St

Yay see the train?

Full equipped kitchen


After settling down, we went out for a walk and orientation for my parents on what to do around the place we stay.. in case they need to go out on their own to the supermarket or something..





Yup, nobody can get tired of this view... 

Selfies and more selfies



Stopped for a drink pre-dinner

Drinking beer because it's cold at night

Family photo - we're having our dinner nearby the Opera House..
Dinner costs about a few hundred AUD






Sunday 26 June 2016

Going on Puffing Billy, Yarra Valley Chocolate Factory, Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary

This is a continuation of my family's holiday to Australia in April.. 

We spent 5 days in Melbourne and 7 days in Sydney..

Before leaving Melbourne, we went for a full day tour to Puffing Billy, a drive through Yarra Valley where lunch was served and to Yarra Valley Chocolatier and finally Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary with a VIP Meet & Greet Service with guided tour..

The day begins at 8am from Melbourne, and travelling with Grayline today.. 

I booked all the day tours in Australia through my company and from ADU Australia, which is our biggest land operator in Australia.. So naturally, I get all the perks from being a staff and also Aussie Specialist.. 


Tickets and wristband

Driving through the Dandenong mountain ranges

Posing with the Grayline bus

The bus captains served us tea from the billy can..

It's so cold that a warm tea is really needed..

Beautiful as it is, the cockatoo is smelly and they shit everywhere

First stop - Belgrave to Menzies Creek, and that is a real ticket like how they used to have back in the old days..

Arriving in Belgrave Puffing Billy station, this is the starting of the Puffing Billy train ride

Autumn leaves

Ticket booth in Belgrave station

One of the carriages of the train

The head... steaming puffing out as it prepares to depart

The sun is so bright I just had to hide
#nofilter see how bright the sun was that day?

Can you see the head?

This is how you ride Puffing Billy..
No kidding, really, nobody sits inside on the benches.. You'll see why..

The station master

Final call! All aboard!

Arriving in Menzies Creek, this is where you get off the train.




Even my nephew and parents also sit on the edge

The train ride passing one of the most picturesque view..

TIP: YOU NEED TO SIT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRAIN TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS VIEW..
And, be prepared to jostle and fight with others to get the right side seats!
LOOK HOW FULL IT IS!


Arriving in Menzies Creek, we boarded the bus back, and head off to Yarra Valley.. I feel there is no need to make a special trip to Yarra Valley as you can get to drive pass the vineyards and have lunch in one of the restaurants and spend some time in the vineyard..

No plucking of grapes though cos it's all harvested..

Reaching Yarra Valley

Vineyards!

Vineyard as far as the eye can see... rows and rows of grape trees!

Unrelated random picture

Into the horizon

Since I cannot have beef, the other option is fish & chips.. noticed the sun light? 

When in a vineyard, must take picture of it rigghhttt...

Selfie in the vineyard

This is the entrance to Yarra Valley Chocolatier.. look at the queue... all waiting for the ice-cream!

No, this is not a vineyard, but the hill where the chocolatier is located on!

One kilo chocolate bars!
I bought 2 of these for my lovely friends to sabotage their gym workout.. 

Master sorting out his cocoas

FINALLY, after the long queue, I finally get my ice-cream!

SO MANY TYPES of chocolates!!!

Last stop before heading back to Melbourne, it was a visit to Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary..
I have no comment except that I don't think it's worth visiting..

Emu
I'm feeding the emu.. Do you know how they eat?
They fucking peck the lettuce off your hand!!!
FUCK SHIT.

Selfie with emu

Antisocial kangaroo and joey.. and only so few of them here..

That's all, not many picture because I don't like this wildlife sactuary.. of the two, I prefer Featherdale Wildlife Sanctuary park in NSW! So much difference!







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