Melbourne, Victoria. The place to be. SIMPLY AWESOME!
Monday, November 29, 2010
ok, enough of procrastination and rotting. i've found myself a job from tomorrow to friday, so i thought i better get started on this and finish it, before this post never materializes.
this post is going to be mostly words, photos will be via a link to those posted on facebook (it's a hassle to post photos on blogger - disappointed that it hasn't changed after so long.) and so the awesome story begins.
Day 1 & 2 photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=255808&id=525583158&l=21b6e2b9f6
Day 1 - Singapore - Melbourne - Philip Island
So it all begins at Changi Airport, where we took a night flight to Melbourne, arriving the next morning. Emirates is a good airline to fly, good food, inflight entertainment and service. After getting the much needed calling card, we took a airport shuttle, STAR Bus (Return for A$26), to Southern Cross Station, where we transferred to a V-Line Bus to Cowes, Philip Island, via Khoo Wee Rup. That should be the fastest and cheapest way to Cowes: the journey took about 2 hours, and cost A$10.50, if i'm not mistaken.
Upon arrival, we hunted for our accommodation, Cowes Caravan Park. it's about 10-15min walk away from the central, but that meant that it's quiet and peaceful. There were huge houses along the way...not a bad place to retire. After dumping our bags, we took a walk along the beach back to Cowes. Awesome view i must say.
Cowes, unfortunately, is a rather boring place. We walked around alittle, and then decided to head to the Penguin Parade. It was quite a mistake, because there's really nothing there, except the cute fairy penguins of course. We travelled by taxi, which is the cheapest way if you go in a group and did not follow a day tour to the Penguin Parade. There's a bus shuttle which will bring you to the venue at a stipulated time and bring you back to Cowes once it ends, but it's rather expensive, A$15 per pax. The taxi meter jumps at a crazy speed, but with 7 of us each paid less than A$10 return. And after looking at the cute penguins come to shore at dusk (it was really cold), we headed back to rest.
Day 2 - Philip Island - Stony Point - Frankston - Sorrento, Mornington Peninsula
We woke up early to catch the inter-island ferry to Stony Point. We got a shock initially as the jetty was pretty abandoned, less a few people fishing there. The only ticketing booth was closed. It turned out that tickets were sold on board the ferry, at A$10 (or somewhere there) each. And we happily boarded the ferry. BUT - If the previous night's sea breeze was cold, this was say 10 times worse? We sat at the uncovered section of the ferry. Served us right, but if given another choice I would take the same seat. It was a freezing 45min ride before we arrived at Stony Point, where we then transferred to the metro to Frankston. it was a quick half an hour journey. We had breakfast there, before taking a bus to Sorrento, which cost A$6 per person, with the journey lasting about an hour and a half.
Once again it was checking out the accommodation - YHA Sorrento - first. It wasn't too far off the town centre, and we met a Canadian traveller there, who gave us abit of information. the reception gave us ideas on what to do, and what good and cheap food there is at Sorrento. We had 2 family rooms with a shared toilet. It was comfortable, the only problem was the toilet - 7 of us had to share one.
We decided to do one of the trekking trails, which is about 4km, and then walk a bit to Portsea. The view along the trail is gorgeous, and we spent the time just playing along the beach and enjoying the scenery. The final part of the trail was through forests, which seemed a little like bashing to us. But the scenery was awesome, so it was all worth it. By the time we arrived at Portsea it's about 5, too late for snorkelling or any other sea sports. It was a pity, but not everyone wanted to do it, so i guess it wasn't that disappointing. And the water was cold, it kinda deterred us from trying also. we were tired and hungry by then, so we took a bus back to Sorrento (A$3 per person, expensive) and had pizza, as recommended by the hostel's reception. it's like one of the few shops open in the evening, so it's easy to find. Really good and cheap.
Day 3 and 4 photos -
Album 1 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=255824&id=525583158&l=2e2ac508ba
Album 2 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=256049&id=525583158&l=985914e4cd
Album 3 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=256078&id=525583158&l=50d8d68936
Day 3 - Mornington Peninsula Day Tour - Melbourne
After two days of moving around on our own, we decided to follow day tours by Bunyip. The first one was through parts of Mornington that were either unaccessible by public transport or places that were not that well heard of. The bus picked us up from our hostel at about 9.30am, and then the tour began! First we were brought to Fort Nepean Nature Park, where a quarantine centre and army fortress was situated. Really good views of the sea once again, though the weather kinda spoiled things a little. The transporter at the park was really cool; it's driven by a tractor. We then went to the hot springs. We didn't enjoy the hotsprings of course, but we did enjoy a foot reflexology walk and a foot bath. Really relaxing after 2 days of walking. No photos, because of privacy. Had lunch there too. We then stopped briefly at a strawberry farm, and bought some strawberries (they weren't as sweet as we thought they would be). No strawberry picking because it's not the season. Then we headed to a vineyard for a wine tasting session. We had mixed response to the wine that we were served; i think it was pretty good. The final stop was Ashcombe Maze and Lavender Gardens. We had great fun with the mazes there, really fun and interesting. And the flowers there are just beautiful - especially the lavenders and dasies.
The day tour was disappointing because we were expecting to go places like Cape Schank, Point Nepean and Arthurs' Seat, as indicated on their website. But I guess the great service and the Maze Gardens came as a pleasant surprise to all of us. Plus we already had 2 days of great views, of the lack of scenic views didn't come as much of a loss.
We arrived back at Melbourne just in time for dinner. So we dropped into one of the chinese restaurants near our serviced apartment - more on that in the next paragraph. it turned out that the owner is a Singaporean who migrated to Melbourne thirty years ago. Her restaurant is celebrating 29th Anniversary, and I guess partly because we're Singaporeans, she gave us a great deal - 6 dishes + dessert for A$19 per pax. Really worth it. And when she brought out a handkerchief with a map of Singapore and pointed out where she stayed, which was Jurong - she really looked like she was about to cry. Must be really emotional for her.
And our serviced apartment for our stay in Melbourne - Knightsbridge Apartments. Really clean and comfortable, and a quick 15min walk to the city central. And it's affordable, we paid an average of A$50 per pax per night for our entire stay. The only disappointing part was the Wifi which didn't work. If you are there only for the Wifi, then I would suggest that you choose a hotel instead.
Day 4 - Great Ocean Drive Tour
This is a highlight for most people who go to Melbourne, and I must say the views are spectacular, if not awesome. Some of my friends preferred the views of the sea on Day 2, but I say it's subjective. We followed Bunyip again, for they give us free vouchers, including free entry to the Melbourne Aquarium, Eureka Skydeck and River Cruise, with every 2 day tours booked. Really great savings for people who are on budget.
So we left our apartment as early as 6.30am, and only returned at 9pm, clocking a total of 560km in a day. really amazing. just a side note, it's best not to follow this tour on a friday if you are shopping, as shops in melbourne close at 9pm on fridays, the latest in the entire week.
Our first stop is a lighthouse, a typical white coloured one you see in movies. well, as a matter of fact, it did appear in a tv serial before. Along the way, we stopped at a few scenic lookouts for photographs. Our tour guide was really good. Having done the tour so many times, she knew where the best lookouts were located, and what time to go to which attraction so that we could attract the crowds. She's really an amazing woman. At a young age of 31, she's been to so many places, worked at so many parts of Australia, and even in Spain. Really courageous, really admirable.
Then it was lunch at a park, where wild koalas, parrots, kookabaras were found almost everywhere. Although lunch was just a simple sandwich, eating together with the wildlife is an awesome feeling. Moving on, more scenic lookouts, a rainforest that hid a waterfall - timely walk to wake all of us up from the travelling, and the final 3 key attractions of the Great Ocean Drive - The London Bridge, the Loch Ard and the Twelve Apostles (though only 7 is left). I took the helicopter ride, which cost A$75, and I tell you the views from above is just spectacular. It was worth every cent. If you are the adventurous type, you could follow a walking tour, the Great Ocean Walk, which will cover you from Apollo Bay, somewhere mid-point of the Drive, to the Twelve Apostles. It will take a total of 6-7 days to cover 100+km, covering an average of 22km per day. My amazing tour guide did such tours before, and said it's really a good way to see the place.
And we bade the place goodbye. with the sunset behind us, it really was a enjoyable day tour, with lots of great scenic views. the best 560km i've travelled in my life.
Day 5 - 9 photos (Cont'd from album 3)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=256078&id=525583158&l=50d8d68936
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=256092&id=525583158&l=0510270e39
Day 5 - Melbourne: CBD
We decided to spend the entire day exploring the Central Business District (CBD). A bit of introduction - Melbourne, especially the CBD, is a very walkable place. Everything is in grid form, so it's very easy to find your way. And if you are feeling lazy and don't feel like walking, there's always the City Circle Tram (Tram 35) and Free Tourist Shuttle Bus that you can make use of. Either one brings you to key attractions within Melbourne.
Our first stop was St Paul's Cathedral, which is just next to Federation Square and Flinders Street Station, all 3 iconic of Melbourne's CBD. After which, we walked to Bourke Street to have breakfast at Pancake Parlour - Really awesome pancakes! The shortstack (2pancakes) cost A$9.90, which is rather pricey, so be sure to bring the vouchers that give 1 for 1. The vouchers should be available in most apartments. If not, try the breakfast meals instead. Bacon and Eggs with 2 pancakes at A$15. definitely more worth it.
We then took the free tram back to Fed Square, and explored Centre for the Moving Image. Cool exhibits, but no photo taking. We walked to Federation Wharf, by the Yarra River, where all the river cruises are located. We decided against going for one even though we had the vouchers - it's one hour, and we could easily walk by the river in less than half the time. So we continued walking along Flinders Street, and went into the Melbourne Aquarium. King Penguins, and lot's of other kinds of animals. Really awesome.
We then popped to Duty Factory Outlet (DFO) at Southwharf, which was just across Flinders Street. The shops close darn early there, so we only had one hour to shop. It's a huge shopping centre, with many brands going on clearance sales. The things are not cheap in absolute terms, but if you think in terms of quality and the price of those brands in Singapore, it's definitely worth the buy. The bad thing though - many things are out of size, especially the pants.
Then it was dinner. We were walking along town and didn't know what to eat. So we just popped into this really posh restaurant cum bar, and it turned out to be a surprise fine dining experience. We weren't the richest kids, so we made do with only the main course and a bottle of wine. It was worth it actually, we paid from A$30 - A$40, depending on our main course, and the food was delicious, not to say the least. You can never get a fine dining experience in Singapore at this price.
The sun sets only at 8+, so we were just on time for the sunset at Eureka Skydeck after dinner. Really awesome view from above, and we were glad we caught the sunset. We then walked along Yarra River to Federation Square and to a street where Ding Dong Lounge, a pub with live bands was located. Good band performances, and good and cheap beer. Had a great night's out with my gang.
Day 6 - Queen Victoria Market, St Kilda's Beach
We took the free tourist shuttle bus to Queen Victoria Market. It's a huge market, with stalls selling everything from general retail, to fresh food to cooked food. We did breakfast and lunch there - the hotdogs are real good. Leave half a day to really complete the market, but note that it's closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.
We then took the free shuttle bus to St Kilda's, where we passed by the Shrine and the Royal Botanic Gardens. We chose to walk all the way to St Kilda Beach, which took us an hour and a half including breaks. There's always a tram you could take at A$2.80, which is really fast. Gets you there in less than 10min?
this post is going to be mostly words, photos will be via a link to those posted on facebook (it's a hassle to post photos on blogger - disappointed that it hasn't changed after so long.) and so the awesome story begins.
Day 1 & 2 photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=255808&id=525583158&l=21b6e2b9f6
Day 1 - Singapore - Melbourne - Philip Island
So it all begins at Changi Airport, where we took a night flight to Melbourne, arriving the next morning. Emirates is a good airline to fly, good food, inflight entertainment and service. After getting the much needed calling card, we took a airport shuttle, STAR Bus (Return for A$26), to Southern Cross Station, where we transferred to a V-Line Bus to Cowes, Philip Island, via Khoo Wee Rup. That should be the fastest and cheapest way to Cowes: the journey took about 2 hours, and cost A$10.50, if i'm not mistaken.
Upon arrival, we hunted for our accommodation, Cowes Caravan Park. it's about 10-15min walk away from the central, but that meant that it's quiet and peaceful. There were huge houses along the way...not a bad place to retire. After dumping our bags, we took a walk along the beach back to Cowes. Awesome view i must say.
Cowes, unfortunately, is a rather boring place. We walked around alittle, and then decided to head to the Penguin Parade. It was quite a mistake, because there's really nothing there, except the cute fairy penguins of course. We travelled by taxi, which is the cheapest way if you go in a group and did not follow a day tour to the Penguin Parade. There's a bus shuttle which will bring you to the venue at a stipulated time and bring you back to Cowes once it ends, but it's rather expensive, A$15 per pax. The taxi meter jumps at a crazy speed, but with 7 of us each paid less than A$10 return. And after looking at the cute penguins come to shore at dusk (it was really cold), we headed back to rest.
Day 2 - Philip Island - Stony Point - Frankston - Sorrento, Mornington Peninsula
We woke up early to catch the inter-island ferry to Stony Point. We got a shock initially as the jetty was pretty abandoned, less a few people fishing there. The only ticketing booth was closed. It turned out that tickets were sold on board the ferry, at A$10 (or somewhere there) each. And we happily boarded the ferry. BUT - If the previous night's sea breeze was cold, this was say 10 times worse? We sat at the uncovered section of the ferry. Served us right, but if given another choice I would take the same seat. It was a freezing 45min ride before we arrived at Stony Point, where we then transferred to the metro to Frankston. it was a quick half an hour journey. We had breakfast there, before taking a bus to Sorrento, which cost A$6 per person, with the journey lasting about an hour and a half.
Once again it was checking out the accommodation - YHA Sorrento - first. It wasn't too far off the town centre, and we met a Canadian traveller there, who gave us abit of information. the reception gave us ideas on what to do, and what good and cheap food there is at Sorrento. We had 2 family rooms with a shared toilet. It was comfortable, the only problem was the toilet - 7 of us had to share one.
We decided to do one of the trekking trails, which is about 4km, and then walk a bit to Portsea. The view along the trail is gorgeous, and we spent the time just playing along the beach and enjoying the scenery. The final part of the trail was through forests, which seemed a little like bashing to us. But the scenery was awesome, so it was all worth it. By the time we arrived at Portsea it's about 5, too late for snorkelling or any other sea sports. It was a pity, but not everyone wanted to do it, so i guess it wasn't that disappointing. And the water was cold, it kinda deterred us from trying also. we were tired and hungry by then, so we took a bus back to Sorrento (A$3 per person, expensive) and had pizza, as recommended by the hostel's reception. it's like one of the few shops open in the evening, so it's easy to find. Really good and cheap.
Day 3 and 4 photos -
Album 1 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=255824&id=525583158&l=2e2ac508ba
Album 2 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=256049&id=525583158&l=985914e4cd
Album 3 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=256078&id=525583158&l=50d8d68936
Day 3 - Mornington Peninsula Day Tour - Melbourne
After two days of moving around on our own, we decided to follow day tours by Bunyip. The first one was through parts of Mornington that were either unaccessible by public transport or places that were not that well heard of. The bus picked us up from our hostel at about 9.30am, and then the tour began! First we were brought to Fort Nepean Nature Park, where a quarantine centre and army fortress was situated. Really good views of the sea once again, though the weather kinda spoiled things a little. The transporter at the park was really cool; it's driven by a tractor. We then went to the hot springs. We didn't enjoy the hotsprings of course, but we did enjoy a foot reflexology walk and a foot bath. Really relaxing after 2 days of walking. No photos, because of privacy. Had lunch there too. We then stopped briefly at a strawberry farm, and bought some strawberries (they weren't as sweet as we thought they would be). No strawberry picking because it's not the season. Then we headed to a vineyard for a wine tasting session. We had mixed response to the wine that we were served; i think it was pretty good. The final stop was Ashcombe Maze and Lavender Gardens. We had great fun with the mazes there, really fun and interesting. And the flowers there are just beautiful - especially the lavenders and dasies.
The day tour was disappointing because we were expecting to go places like Cape Schank, Point Nepean and Arthurs' Seat, as indicated on their website. But I guess the great service and the Maze Gardens came as a pleasant surprise to all of us. Plus we already had 2 days of great views, of the lack of scenic views didn't come as much of a loss.
We arrived back at Melbourne just in time for dinner. So we dropped into one of the chinese restaurants near our serviced apartment - more on that in the next paragraph. it turned out that the owner is a Singaporean who migrated to Melbourne thirty years ago. Her restaurant is celebrating 29th Anniversary, and I guess partly because we're Singaporeans, she gave us a great deal - 6 dishes + dessert for A$19 per pax. Really worth it. And when she brought out a handkerchief with a map of Singapore and pointed out where she stayed, which was Jurong - she really looked like she was about to cry. Must be really emotional for her.
And our serviced apartment for our stay in Melbourne - Knightsbridge Apartments. Really clean and comfortable, and a quick 15min walk to the city central. And it's affordable, we paid an average of A$50 per pax per night for our entire stay. The only disappointing part was the Wifi which didn't work. If you are there only for the Wifi, then I would suggest that you choose a hotel instead.
Day 4 - Great Ocean Drive Tour
This is a highlight for most people who go to Melbourne, and I must say the views are spectacular, if not awesome. Some of my friends preferred the views of the sea on Day 2, but I say it's subjective. We followed Bunyip again, for they give us free vouchers, including free entry to the Melbourne Aquarium, Eureka Skydeck and River Cruise, with every 2 day tours booked. Really great savings for people who are on budget.
So we left our apartment as early as 6.30am, and only returned at 9pm, clocking a total of 560km in a day. really amazing. just a side note, it's best not to follow this tour on a friday if you are shopping, as shops in melbourne close at 9pm on fridays, the latest in the entire week.
Our first stop is a lighthouse, a typical white coloured one you see in movies. well, as a matter of fact, it did appear in a tv serial before. Along the way, we stopped at a few scenic lookouts for photographs. Our tour guide was really good. Having done the tour so many times, she knew where the best lookouts were located, and what time to go to which attraction so that we could attract the crowds. She's really an amazing woman. At a young age of 31, she's been to so many places, worked at so many parts of Australia, and even in Spain. Really courageous, really admirable.
Then it was lunch at a park, where wild koalas, parrots, kookabaras were found almost everywhere. Although lunch was just a simple sandwich, eating together with the wildlife is an awesome feeling. Moving on, more scenic lookouts, a rainforest that hid a waterfall - timely walk to wake all of us up from the travelling, and the final 3 key attractions of the Great Ocean Drive - The London Bridge, the Loch Ard and the Twelve Apostles (though only 7 is left). I took the helicopter ride, which cost A$75, and I tell you the views from above is just spectacular. It was worth every cent. If you are the adventurous type, you could follow a walking tour, the Great Ocean Walk, which will cover you from Apollo Bay, somewhere mid-point of the Drive, to the Twelve Apostles. It will take a total of 6-7 days to cover 100+km, covering an average of 22km per day. My amazing tour guide did such tours before, and said it's really a good way to see the place.
And we bade the place goodbye. with the sunset behind us, it really was a enjoyable day tour, with lots of great scenic views. the best 560km i've travelled in my life.
Day 5 - 9 photos (Cont'd from album 3)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=256078&id=525583158&l=50d8d68936
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=256092&id=525583158&l=0510270e39
Day 5 - Melbourne: CBD
We decided to spend the entire day exploring the Central Business District (CBD). A bit of introduction - Melbourne, especially the CBD, is a very walkable place. Everything is in grid form, so it's very easy to find your way. And if you are feeling lazy and don't feel like walking, there's always the City Circle Tram (Tram 35) and Free Tourist Shuttle Bus that you can make use of. Either one brings you to key attractions within Melbourne.
Our first stop was St Paul's Cathedral, which is just next to Federation Square and Flinders Street Station, all 3 iconic of Melbourne's CBD. After which, we walked to Bourke Street to have breakfast at Pancake Parlour - Really awesome pancakes! The shortstack (2pancakes) cost A$9.90, which is rather pricey, so be sure to bring the vouchers that give 1 for 1. The vouchers should be available in most apartments. If not, try the breakfast meals instead. Bacon and Eggs with 2 pancakes at A$15. definitely more worth it.
We then took the free tram back to Fed Square, and explored Centre for the Moving Image. Cool exhibits, but no photo taking. We walked to Federation Wharf, by the Yarra River, where all the river cruises are located. We decided against going for one even though we had the vouchers - it's one hour, and we could easily walk by the river in less than half the time. So we continued walking along Flinders Street, and went into the Melbourne Aquarium. King Penguins, and lot's of other kinds of animals. Really awesome.
We then popped to Duty Factory Outlet (DFO) at Southwharf, which was just across Flinders Street. The shops close darn early there, so we only had one hour to shop. It's a huge shopping centre, with many brands going on clearance sales. The things are not cheap in absolute terms, but if you think in terms of quality and the price of those brands in Singapore, it's definitely worth the buy. The bad thing though - many things are out of size, especially the pants.
Then it was dinner. We were walking along town and didn't know what to eat. So we just popped into this really posh restaurant cum bar, and it turned out to be a surprise fine dining experience. We weren't the richest kids, so we made do with only the main course and a bottle of wine. It was worth it actually, we paid from A$30 - A$40, depending on our main course, and the food was delicious, not to say the least. You can never get a fine dining experience in Singapore at this price.
The sun sets only at 8+, so we were just on time for the sunset at Eureka Skydeck after dinner. Really awesome view from above, and we were glad we caught the sunset. We then walked along Yarra River to Federation Square and to a street where Ding Dong Lounge, a pub with live bands was located. Good band performances, and good and cheap beer. Had a great night's out with my gang.
Day 6 - Queen Victoria Market, St Kilda's Beach
We took the free tourist shuttle bus to Queen Victoria Market. It's a huge market, with stalls selling everything from general retail, to fresh food to cooked food. We did breakfast and lunch there - the hotdogs are real good. Leave half a day to really complete the market, but note that it's closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.
We then took the free shuttle bus to St Kilda's, where we passed by the Shrine and the Royal Botanic Gardens. We chose to walk all the way to St Kilda Beach, which took us an hour and a half including breaks. There's always a tram you could take at A$2.80, which is really fast. Gets you there in less than 10min?
St Kilda's Beach is a really busy place. As the weather is getting warmer, there are many people sun-tanning, walking dogs, doing water sports. And it's a crazy party place at night, with so many pubs and night spots. It may get abit dodgy at night, so leave before the sun sets if you don't want to be caught in it. That's what we did, we left after dinner at one of the restaurants there. pretty awesome western food, at a reasonable price.
We took a tram back to CBD because we were all tired, and I must say the tram drivers there are humourous. They do communicate with the passengers via a PA system, and their comments are really funny. And the machine to buy the Metlink tickets is down, so we ended up taking the tram for free. Kudos to the tram driver!
Day 7 - State Library, Old Melbourne Gaol, Shopping at Smith Street, Dinner at Lygon Street
State Library was our first stop. Cool dome-shape architecture, good exhibits, and extremely condusive for studying. Old Melbourne Gaol is just nearby, it costs A$21 to get in, do get the 15percent voucher card if you can. Inside, you get to see how the very recently closed prison works. There's this guided part where you get treated as criminals, which is quite interesting.
Moving on, we walked to Smith Street, another duty factory outlet, where all the sports brands concentrate. it's not a shopping centre though, it's a street with many shops next to each other. What caught our attention, however, is not the sports outlets, but this shop called Lost & Found. You can find lots of vintage stuff there, from cameras to clothes to gramophone discs. Some of my friends spent 2 hours in there. There's also other flea shops along the street; I got a pair of 2nd hand D&G jeans for A$10. If you're meticulous enough, there're lots of hidden bargains to e found. They close at 6pm, so be there early.
Dinner was at Lygon Street, the famed street that sells awesome Italian Food. Tourists beware though, we got touted there when we were looking at their prices. Decide on which restaurants you want to go to, and go straight in. We ended up in DOC, a pizza shop out of Lygon Street. It's opened by native Italians, so it's really good. Other restaurants to recommed is Dolce Freddo, which is closed on Mondays, and a shop that has Ferrari decorations all over. For ice cream/coffee/hot choc, Brunetti is a good choice. We then took a half an hour walk back to our apartment.
Day 8 - Shopping at DFO Southwharf, Spencer Street
Today is shopping day! We spent the entire day at 2 DFOs, firstly at Southwharf, which houses the bigger one, and secondly at Spencer Street, located just above of Southern Cross Station. My friends had dinner at a Spanish restaurant, while I met up with a old friend. My friends said it wasn't that bad, but was a little pricey. Maybe because of the sparkling water - If you want plain water, say you want tap. Just a small tip.
Day 9 - Final Shopping + Coffee at Degraves Street
The pancakes at pancake parlour was so good, we went back for the second time. And then it was shopping. Some of us went back to Spencer Street, some to Chinatown to get nougats (slightly cheaper than Singapore), and some went to the casino at Crowne Plaza. Our last stop was Degraves Street, a small lane very near to Federation Square. It's a street famous for designer coffee, a cup of mocha only costs A$3.50, and it's really good.
And that ends our trip at Melbourne. It's a good place to be, good scenic views are just less than an hour's drive away. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, hope my friends feel the same.
I hope this post will be useful to those who are looking to go to Melbourne in the near future. If you need any clarifications just leave me a comment, I will try my best to answer. =)
Labels: travel
back from AWESOME melbourne!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
yesh, after 10 days of holiday, i'm back from melbourne.
i wanted to do a full fletched post on this trip, but thought i would do a short one first while i'm waiting for my photos to load.
i must say it's an awesome place to be, and a definitely great and enjoyable holiday. and one of my best birthday presents ever. the views, the wildlife, the sea, the food, the shopping, and of course not forgetting the great company.
things were more expensive than what you can find in singapore, but service there is superb, which makes every cent spent there worthwhile. and the best thing about buying things there is that quality is assured, even with clearance sales. so it is unlikely that you receive goods with substandard quality. we got a couple of good deals there, and they were really worth the money.
i will stop here for now, and leave the complete post for later.
i must say it's an awesome place to be, and a definitely great and enjoyable holiday. and one of my best birthday presents ever. the views, the wildlife, the sea, the food, the shopping, and of course not forgetting the great company.
things were more expensive than what you can find in singapore, but service there is superb, which makes every cent spent there worthwhile. and the best thing about buying things there is that quality is assured, even with clearance sales. so it is unlikely that you receive goods with substandard quality. we got a couple of good deals there, and they were really worth the money.
i will stop here for now, and leave the complete post for later.
time to select photos for uploading! and did i not mention, i took no less than 1900 photos. =)
happy 20th birthday.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
birthdays are supposed to be happy occassions. you spend it with your friends or family, and everyone is at happy.
or at least that's the way it should be.
i'm not saying that it isn't for me, like most other years i had dinner with jordan and hz. it's just that there are some things that i've wanted to express, and am not sure if today, being my birthday, is the best day to do it.
truth be told, i've been reading my blog entries, since the time i've begun to blog. i won't say that i've matured tremendously over the past few years, but i guess there is a significant shift from always mentioning that same few people over and over again, to how i really feel about certain issues and events. and even within those thoughts, there's a shift from the same few people, to more important issues and decisions that i have to make.
i guess it's true that as one ages, his priorities change. or maybe maturity plays a role.
i'm not saying that i no longer care about my friends. i just don't allow myself to be so affected by their well-being. i have learnt to value life more, and lead it the way i want to and not let others affect it as much as they did before. i also learnt to open up to more people, and have found more good friends in the process.
to be a little more specific, that few people that i always mention are marcus, wilson, hz and jordan. marcus is now pursuing a degree at Canada, and we still do talk to each other from time to time. rather unfortunately i must say, i am no longer as close to wilson as i was in the past. i won't delve into the reasons, i guess it's just because fate made it that way.
jordan and hz. the more troublesome part. we had quarrels, long periods of cold wars, and many many other minor conflicts. on my way home today, i thought about the entire thing hard. and i realise, there is no point in doing so. letting nature take its course is best. as you grow older, it gets more and more difficult to hang around and chill with friends, and just talk about literally everything. and being able to do that, at least for now, is good enough.
ok. so much for friends.
family. something that i have ignored for quite some time.
after the fall out between my parents and my maternal relatives, i still do keep in close contact with my aunts and uncles. i guess i'm just too used to the crowd to totally stop going to visit and hang around with them. especially with my cousins, who are all growing up into teenagers. but i still got to face the cold, harsh facts. that my parents are partially, if not totally, responsible for the fall out.
i'm not sure if i should say this. but there are times when i close my eyes, and i ask myself if i still love my parents. i am grateful for them raising me up, but up till this very day what they have given me is monetary support, and emotional support in the form of non-disturbance when i'm busy. true parental love? i'm really not sure. maybe that's their way of expressing their love. but for someone like myself, i really don't know if that is enough.
i guess this is something that won't be sorted out so soon. for now, i just want to enjoy my holidays (and hope that nothing particularly ugly happens), and live life the way i want it to be.
and yea, finally, happy 20th birthday.
or at least that's the way it should be.
i'm not saying that it isn't for me, like most other years i had dinner with jordan and hz. it's just that there are some things that i've wanted to express, and am not sure if today, being my birthday, is the best day to do it.
truth be told, i've been reading my blog entries, since the time i've begun to blog. i won't say that i've matured tremendously over the past few years, but i guess there is a significant shift from always mentioning that same few people over and over again, to how i really feel about certain issues and events. and even within those thoughts, there's a shift from the same few people, to more important issues and decisions that i have to make.
i guess it's true that as one ages, his priorities change. or maybe maturity plays a role.
i'm not saying that i no longer care about my friends. i just don't allow myself to be so affected by their well-being. i have learnt to value life more, and lead it the way i want to and not let others affect it as much as they did before. i also learnt to open up to more people, and have found more good friends in the process.
to be a little more specific, that few people that i always mention are marcus, wilson, hz and jordan. marcus is now pursuing a degree at Canada, and we still do talk to each other from time to time. rather unfortunately i must say, i am no longer as close to wilson as i was in the past. i won't delve into the reasons, i guess it's just because fate made it that way.
jordan and hz. the more troublesome part. we had quarrels, long periods of cold wars, and many many other minor conflicts. on my way home today, i thought about the entire thing hard. and i realise, there is no point in doing so. letting nature take its course is best. as you grow older, it gets more and more difficult to hang around and chill with friends, and just talk about literally everything. and being able to do that, at least for now, is good enough.
ok. so much for friends.
family. something that i have ignored for quite some time.
after the fall out between my parents and my maternal relatives, i still do keep in close contact with my aunts and uncles. i guess i'm just too used to the crowd to totally stop going to visit and hang around with them. especially with my cousins, who are all growing up into teenagers. but i still got to face the cold, harsh facts. that my parents are partially, if not totally, responsible for the fall out.
i'm not sure if i should say this. but there are times when i close my eyes, and i ask myself if i still love my parents. i am grateful for them raising me up, but up till this very day what they have given me is monetary support, and emotional support in the form of non-disturbance when i'm busy. true parental love? i'm really not sure. maybe that's their way of expressing their love. but for someone like myself, i really don't know if that is enough.
i guess this is something that won't be sorted out so soon. for now, i just want to enjoy my holidays (and hope that nothing particularly ugly happens), and live life the way i want it to be.
and yea, finally, happy 20th birthday.
tina turner.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
i've been listening, or rather watching, to Tina Turner's performances on Youtube. And I must say, she's awesome. No other female singer can sing and DANCE like her at her age. She's seventy. She's a legend. Pop singers nowadays have so much to learn from her.
third official day after ORD. nothing much has been done. i read up abit on the federal reserve's monetary policy, and columns by Paul Krugman. at least i could understand better how the policies work, and what is needed to stimulate the economy - expected inflation. and how china's policies are actually going against the world's. but i think i know too little to make a fair judgment, so i will leave it for now.
tomorrow onwards will be busy. which is great. things to do on my checklist. i'm one who can't survive having nothing to do. i will just go nuts. so, i've decided to look for a job after i fly back from melbourne. extra income is always good, and i can keep my otherwise idle brain functioning.
third official day after ORD. nothing much has been done. i read up abit on the federal reserve's monetary policy, and columns by Paul Krugman. at least i could understand better how the policies work, and what is needed to stimulate the economy - expected inflation. and how china's policies are actually going against the world's. but i think i know too little to make a fair judgment, so i will leave it for now.
tomorrow onwards will be busy. which is great. things to do on my checklist. i'm one who can't survive having nothing to do. i will just go nuts. so, i've decided to look for a job after i fly back from melbourne. extra income is always good, and i can keep my otherwise idle brain functioning.
Multi-Level Marketing
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is good. Looking forward to the Half-Blood Prince, and the Deathly Hallows, which will be out real soon.
Ok, i'm playing my playlist on my ipod for the umpteen time after i ORD-ed. Time to update my ipod...
Anyways, that isn't the main point of this post. Today's post will be on Multi-Level Marketing, better known as MLM.
Yesterday one of my friends brought me to one of the better-known MLM companies in Singapore. I haven been poached by another MLM company before, and trust me, that one sucks to the core. Still, I decided to go in with an open-mind, and listened to the speaker with as much attention as I could give.
I was, as a matter of fact, biased against MLM companies. There are friends around me who claimed to be scammed, and the Sunshire Empire saga didn't help things either. So what prompted me to relook MLM is this - the friend is someone i do trust, and that we should look at things with an open mind.
So, this particular company has a good business model. it basically did everything it could in terms of marketing, sales and advertising. And its products certainly do have a demand. So the only question i have is, why then do they need MLM to boost their sales? I will address this question later.
Back to MLM. When I got home, I decided to read more about MLM. and so I learnt that MLM only becomes illegal and a scam when it's sole focus is on recruitment and not sales. Which essentially was the case of Sunshine Empire. However, there is a very fine difference between a legal MLM company, and one that is a scam. And it all has to do with the pay structure.
MLM companies pay you according how high-ranking you are in their hierarchy, and how high-ranking you are depends on how many 'subordinates', or members as they like to put it, you have under your charge. So those people who earn a 5 figure sum has alot of people under them. they possibly do not have to fight for sales; they just have to recruit more members, who will then do the sales for whoever brought them in. but of course it depends on the individual. is the sole focus recruitment, or working together as a team to fight for greater sales? that would determine whether or not this business model becomes a scam.
i am trying to hold a neutral stance towards MLM (and of course hope that I am successful). What i finally concluded is this: that MLM is just one of the many marketing methods available. and like technology, the method is always neutral. what makes it harmful, or in this case illegal, is the user. we shouldn't just claim that it is a scam given the bad examples in the past, and should examine and evaluate it carefully before we actually give it such a bad name. To address my question earlier, MLM is an effective, and sometimes only method for certain industries, such as insurance, to be sustainable. and that's why it's legal, even in Singapore, to practise MLM.
eventually, i didn't join. firstly because i don't have the start up capital, secondly because my idea of doing business isn't what MLM offers. My idea of business is basically setting up a shop and selling goods, preferably hand-made or hand-picked from it. I like doing it on my own. More of direct retail. But that's for another post.
That night, i reminded my friend of the pitfalls of MLM, and told him not to lose himself along the way. Money can blind. I hope he got my message...And this means that an opportunity to work together, is lost.
There will be plently of opportunities in the future. But for now, I wish him all the best. =)
Ok, i'm playing my playlist on my ipod for the umpteen time after i ORD-ed. Time to update my ipod...
Anyways, that isn't the main point of this post. Today's post will be on Multi-Level Marketing, better known as MLM.
Yesterday one of my friends brought me to one of the better-known MLM companies in Singapore. I haven been poached by another MLM company before, and trust me, that one sucks to the core. Still, I decided to go in with an open-mind, and listened to the speaker with as much attention as I could give.
I was, as a matter of fact, biased against MLM companies. There are friends around me who claimed to be scammed, and the Sunshire Empire saga didn't help things either. So what prompted me to relook MLM is this - the friend is someone i do trust, and that we should look at things with an open mind.
So, this particular company has a good business model. it basically did everything it could in terms of marketing, sales and advertising. And its products certainly do have a demand. So the only question i have is, why then do they need MLM to boost their sales? I will address this question later.
Back to MLM. When I got home, I decided to read more about MLM. and so I learnt that MLM only becomes illegal and a scam when it's sole focus is on recruitment and not sales. Which essentially was the case of Sunshine Empire. However, there is a very fine difference between a legal MLM company, and one that is a scam. And it all has to do with the pay structure.
MLM companies pay you according how high-ranking you are in their hierarchy, and how high-ranking you are depends on how many 'subordinates', or members as they like to put it, you have under your charge. So those people who earn a 5 figure sum has alot of people under them. they possibly do not have to fight for sales; they just have to recruit more members, who will then do the sales for whoever brought them in. but of course it depends on the individual. is the sole focus recruitment, or working together as a team to fight for greater sales? that would determine whether or not this business model becomes a scam.
i am trying to hold a neutral stance towards MLM (and of course hope that I am successful). What i finally concluded is this: that MLM is just one of the many marketing methods available. and like technology, the method is always neutral. what makes it harmful, or in this case illegal, is the user. we shouldn't just claim that it is a scam given the bad examples in the past, and should examine and evaluate it carefully before we actually give it such a bad name. To address my question earlier, MLM is an effective, and sometimes only method for certain industries, such as insurance, to be sustainable. and that's why it's legal, even in Singapore, to practise MLM.
eventually, i didn't join. firstly because i don't have the start up capital, secondly because my idea of doing business isn't what MLM offers. My idea of business is basically setting up a shop and selling goods, preferably hand-made or hand-picked from it. I like doing it on my own. More of direct retail. But that's for another post.
That night, i reminded my friend of the pitfalls of MLM, and told him not to lose himself along the way. Money can blind. I hope he got my message...And this means that an opportunity to work together, is lost.
There will be plently of opportunities in the future. But for now, I wish him all the best. =)
myORD.
Friday, November 05, 2010
As promised, a new blogskin.before i left camp, i sent out a pretty long email to my boss/OC/S4, giving reflections on the various key events that i participated with. some people may think that such reflections are never useful, but i think it allows me to think about the lessons learnt in the past 1 year 10 months, and how they are truly applicable to the working world.
of course, due to the sensitive nature of the information involved, i will not be including that email here. let me instead start with a general timeline of events.
firstly, enlistment. i enlisted on 8 january 2009. after 9 weeks, it was POP. many things happened in this 9 weeks, including my ankle injury. i was then posted 46SAR, which became my unit for the rest of my NSF life, less than the month i was on MC and the 5 weeks i was on course at Signal Institute.
it was a long 20 months at the unit. first at SP Coy, then to HQ Coy. I got to know many people from the many key events that I was involved in. In chronological order, live range 1, ATEC Stage 1, LAB check 1, live range 2, Ex Bold Kurukshetra in India, ATEC Stage 2, live range 3, LAB check 2, ORD parade. And this doesn't include the many other minor tasks that came along the way.
it was great meeting and working with new people; it allows you to see how different people will react to the same type of scenario. Especially in ATEC Stage 2, i see the importance of good management skills, and how communication and proper planning is important, if not crucial, for the success of any event.
of course, there's always 2 sides to a coin. i'm not going to waste an entire paragraph complaining or whining about how certain commanders have disgusting work ethics, but i must highlight that the 'covering your own ass' attitude should not be condoned. i really hope i won't see anymore of such attitude, for it is this that destroys trust and causes things/events to fail.
in retrospect, it has been a good 22 months. new friends are made, special mention to my bmt section mates and the manpower branch from 46SAR. news things are learnt, and new experiences gained. i probably won't agree to another 22 months in the SAF, but i'm glad i had gone through this phase.
now, it's back to a civilian, and am definitely looking forward to my trips that are coming real soon.
cheers! =)
ORD!
Finally, after 1 year 10 months, I have officially ORD-ed!
A new blogskin, and a longer post, I promise.
Till the next time. =)
A new blogskin, and a longer post, I promise.
Till the next time. =)