(NSFW) Australia Working Trip (part 7 final)

THIS POST CONTAINS NUDE PICS.

*****NSFW*****

In this post, I will just quickly share on the hotel we stayed in in Mooloolaba before heading back to Brisbane for another night..

In Mooloolaba, we stayed in Breeze Mooloolaba Apartments.. it's a short walk from the beach and excellent view.. The hotel is also huge, and we each got a single room ourselves.. and here's when the naughty pictures come to live..

Living room

Balcony adjoining the masterbedroom with the beach just in the background

Room 2

Toilet 2

Kitchen

Washer and dryer

Pool

Heated jacuzzi

BBQ and lounge area by the pool

When you get a full length mirror in the bedroom, and the whole room to yourself, things like this happen!

Ok I am tired playing..
Care to join me in bed?

In Brisbane, we stayed in W Hotel Brisbane.. as with all other W hotels, the facilities are a given and did not disappoint.. Sad we had an early morning flight back to Singapore en route to KL on Singapore Airlines..

W Hotel Brisbane

Lobby on the first floor.

Walkway to Queen Street (exit behind)
To the right is the elevators

Counter

Some decor at the lobby

Bathtub!!

Separate shower in clear glass

Toilet. Can only close one side of the door.

Bed (2 x doouble bed)

Desk & coffee machine

Chargeable alcohol

Electronic switches

View of the bathroom and entrance

Wardrobe

Elevator

View of the southbank from room window

We departed Brisbane on SQ256 serviced by Singapore Airlines A350 aircraft.

Time to go home

SQ256 Brisbane-Singapore is now ready for boarding

An awkward seat, but not complaining since I have extra legroom on the first row.
The cart will keep bumping into you both direction

SQ256 Brisbane-Singapore breakfast
Noodles with chicken

Dessert

SQ256 Brisbane-Singapore
Second meal service before landing into Singapore

This trip was made possible and sponsored and hosted by Tourism Australia in partnership with Singapore Airlines and Tourism & Events Queensland. 

Leaving Holiday Tours

So 2 weeks ago, I handed in my resignation letter.. it wasn't an easy decision to make, honestly.. And today, is my last day.. I needed to be in only in the morning as I have 8.5 days of annual leave to clear before the end of my notice period..

My new employer also agreed to buy 1 month of my notice period so that I join them next week. In fact my timeline is so tight that had I missed one day handing in my resignation it would have screwed up every plan..

I've been with Holiday Tours for more than 6 years.. I enjoyed my time here mostly, there are times and things that I cannot tolerate, but over the years I have learnt to let it be, for the sake of my own sanity.. I've learnt there is no use getting worked up over things you can't control.. You can control how you react but you cannot control customer's reaction..

It's no doubt the perks and benefits are there, included discounted travels and heavily discounted hotel rooms, and plenty of familiarisation (hosted/sponsored) trips, although not everyone gets to go on trips or on all trips, me included..

To sum it up, I have been on paid/sponsored trips twice to Club Med Cherating, Club Med Phuket, Club Med Bali, Gold Coast and most recently Gold Coast-Sunshine Coast-Hervey Bay, Queensland..

In the 6 years, for the first time, albeit on my own expenses, I've gone to United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Dubai, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, China. some of the countries I would then visit again and again, and flown on some of the famed aircrafts like A380 (Malaysia Airlines to London and many times on Emirates to Europe and Australia) and A350 (Singapore Airlines), and in business class of Qatar Airways (KL-Phuket), Malaysia Airlines (long and short haul) and Lufthansa (KL-Bangkok).

It's also no secret that I have coughed up thousands of ringgit paying for mistakes, so much I lost count how many thousands I've paid.. Where it was my mistake, I have to bear the responsibility, as with anyone else.. Where it was NOT my fault, I didn't have much choice but to fight and argue it out like in a courtroom..

Much as I am excited and eager to move, I also am going to miss this place, the bonds between colleagues from all the branches whom some I am very close with.. and then there are some whom I am sworn enemies with.. I still won't call colleagues as friends, and I think it should remain that way.. friends at work doesn't necessarily means friends outside and I would like to keep it that way..

So its bye for now but I know it's not the end cos I still need to come back and do things like visa and all that..

Since I'm flying off to Shanghai on my first business trip middle December, my passport and visa is pending and will not be ready until next week..

Australia Working Trip (part 6)

The next morning we headed out for the Great Beach 4WD Drive.. it's one of the very few beaches in Australia where it's legal to drive on, and it's a highway in its own right..

Riding in a 4WD on the beach with the waves

Amazing

The beach highway

Double Island Lighthouse at the end of Rainbow Beach

Rainbow Steps at Rainbow Beach for a Rainbowlander

Double Island Lighthouse

Rainbow sands on Rainbow Beach

So I got stung by sea lice (I thought it was jellyfish) while swimming in the sea.
They are like rashes, dots and raised bumps but in groups.
They are very itchy and sting, and you can only put cooling cream on it and resist the urge to scratch.
It subsides after a few hours.

Our drivers along Rainbow Beach

Have you ever driven into the sea?
Yes, with the Rainbow Beach 4WD tour, you need to drive into the sea as this part of the beach is so narrow you have no choice but to drive in the sea

From Rainbow Beach we transfer into Hervey Bay where we would see the whales the next day.. But first, we checked into our hotel, Mantra Hervey Bay which is located next to the Straits Marina.. Very convenient hotel to stay in if you want to go whale watching from Hervey Bay, known as the capital of Humpback Whale Watching (season July-October).

Looking out from the lobby, flanked by heated pool

How often do you get a jacuzzi in your hotel room? 

Each one of us get a single room, more like a two-bedroom hotel room

The living and kitchen in the next door unit

Whale Watching

A wefie before setting out

A dolphin just following us

A whale breaching

Getting some education on whale

Hervey Bay’s premium mid-sized whale watching and charter boat, with a strong focus on ecological practices and sustainability.

Whalesong Cruises is a locally owned family operated business, specialising in humpback whale and dolphin close encounters from their luxurious, purpose-built vessel. Wide decks and low passenger numbers of 25 to 45 people provides you with many vantage points and optimal space to interact with the curious and playful whales often frolicking within metres of the boat.

The guaranteed, experience of a lifetime aboard Whalesong is only available to a lucky few, for a limited time each year. Opportunities to listen to the whales sing underwater may be available.

Local and national award winners with a crew who love what they do, Whalesong offer two convenient cruises daily with expert commentary and interpretation. The Morning cruise offers morning tea and a buffet lunch. The Afternoon Sunset cruise offers a light lunch and savoury platter. Tea and coffee available all day.

Whalesong is environmentally friendly, reducing, reusing and recycling where possible to minimize their carbon foot print.