waiting for boarding...
sun and sand at Bondi Beach
wish you were here
welcome to Straya, mate!
"Distance is to love like wind is to fire... it extinguishes the small and kindles the great."
The Blue Mountains comprise a mountainous region in New South Wales, Australia. It borders on Sydney's metropolitan area - its foothills starting approximately 50 kilometres west of the state capital. The area begins on the west side of the Nepean River and extends westward as far as Coxs River. Geologically, the mountain range is situated in the central parts of the Sydney Basin. (Wiki)
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| Brekky stopover at Cafe Cee, Glenbrook |
Our second to the last day started gloomy and we were hesitant to join
the Blue Mountains tour. After a few calls to the tour agent, checking weather
updates, and looking-out-of-the-window checks almost every minute, the
group decided to hop on the bus and enjoy the ride to the mountains.
It was a long drive to the Three Sisters rock formation and upon arriving, all we saw was a place surrounded with fog. And it was freezing cold. Too bad we couldn't take the cable car to the Blue Mountains as planned because the fog was too thick. Still, we made do and enjoyed the rest of the tour.
Treasured Teapot Museum, one of their novelty shops
Visiting the koalas, wallabies and other native Australian animals at the wildlife park
Twas good that we decided to push on with the tour. We would have missed a lot.
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| ready to feel the Australian summer heat |
Summer in Australia will never be complete without the beach, sun, sand, and surfers. Off we go to Manly on our second day. Manly Beach is one of Sydney's popular destinations for beach lovers. There are restaurants, shops, and clubs all over the town.
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| on board |
Going there is made easy by ferries that sail to Manly every 30 minutes from Circular Quay. You can choose between the slow and fast ferries, which cost around 15aud. This short ferry ride gives you a different view of the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. I am not a beach lover by heart, but I am excited to see the waves, check the shops, and grab a bite in Manly.
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| jump shot and Manly Wharf group photo |
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| lunch with the gang |
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| around Manly |
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| Surfer dude |
But we had to cut short our Aussie summer escapade 'coz we needed to prepare for our flight to our next destination -- Melbourne. More on Melbourne next!
Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. It is on the south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. In June 2010 the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people.[1] Inhabitants of Sydney are called Sydneysiders, comprising a cosmopolitan and international population.[4] - Wiki
A trip down under started 2013 with a bang. Chinese New Year travel destinations have always been a dilemma to many - accommodations are fully-booked and airline tickets go sky-high. I initially thought to stay in Singapore and just visit Chinatown to see the dragons so I can save my leaves for another trip . But oi, oi, oi Miranda is calling!
The enthusiastic travel bug M regularly checks Scoot for ticket deals. It was indeed her lucky day to find a good rate to Sydney. A little convincing, then I said yes and tagged along other travel mates for a week-long vacation.
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| a long 8hrs trip : Scoot |
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| first stop: get an AU sim card to stay connected |
We arrived past noon; though tired and hungry, our excitement was too overwhelming, giving us the kick to start Sydney day 1. Then goes the usual traveler's routine - get a taxi, check-in, ready the camera, freshen up, and all set to stroll.
Accommodation: Nomads Westend Backpackers Sydney
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| around Sydney |
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| the summer outfit |
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| Sydney Harbour Bridge |
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| Sydney Opera House |
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| sausage, pork knuckles, German beer for dinner @ The Rocks |
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| right below the bridge |
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grocery time with A and H
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Now it's time to hit the sack and get ready for day 2.
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