Australia Tour Package: RM 4,000
Travelling Allowance: AUS 1,000
Long Distance Phone Calls: At least SGD 700
Finding the Love of My Life: Priceless :D
There are some things money can't buy.
For everything else there's MasterCard.
:P :P :P
Friday, December 31, 2004
Thursday, December 30, 2004
The trip Home (Part 3): Sydney, Australia
Welcome back! On my second day in Sydney, we went to the Blue Mountains area. Along the way, we dropped by the Koala Park to check out the unique Australia wildlife. It certainly was the first time I get up close and personal with real koala bears and kangaroos! :D
Australian little penguins.
Peacock (Diva!)
Parakeet. :)
Kangaroo.
Even kangaroo need to take care of an itch on the arse...
Red kangaroo.
Wombat (isn't that the biggest hamster you ever saw!?)
Dingo.
Porcupine.
Live plush toy!
"Hell, I look BETTER than a toy!"
All smiles :)
Sleepy heads.
Mother and Child.
"Whatcha got there? Nuts?"
"Psst, the kid with the hat! I'll hold this bozo down, and you grab his nuts. We'll split them 50-50, ok? On 3..."
"What's in that camera? Food?"
"So, can you tell us what's it like being a kangaroo?" "It's just like being a koala, only cuter."
"What's wrong with you, bro?" "Just wondering what's in your pouch." "You're a pervert, you know that?"
"Meet my new pet. He doesn't talk much, but at least he's toilet-trained. Imported from Malaysia."
Sheep shearing session at the Koala Park. I could just use that fur as a blanket. It felt so compfy. :)
After visiting the park, it was a long, long drive to the Blue Mountains. By the time we reach the echo point on Katoomba, dark clouds were already gathering all around us. Took these photos before the rain hit us.
Me, standing on the brink of a storm.
The 3 Sisters. Legend has it that once upon a time, before the eve of a war, a chieftain/shaman turned his 3 daughters into stones so they can safe, and planned to turn them back to human form once the war was over. However (in typical folklore-plot-hole-cover-up fashion), he was killed in the war, and so the sisters are forever trapped in rock form.
Took this before the rain the came. I like the vague lines of the landscape.
Since it was raining, all we could do was have lunch at a revolving restaurant in the visitor centre. It has a darn cool view of the whole valley. Potential travellers take note! :P When the rain stopped, it's a trip into the forest and back...
Outside the visitor's centre, there're statues depicting the story of The 3 Sisters. I have no idea why they're still smiling while being turned into stone...
The 3 Sisters from a distance.
This shot was taken after we took a 50+ degrees plunge down the hill on a train.
Coal mine on the Blue Mountains.
An interesting plant. There're exactly 5 leaves on every branch.
The "Kissing Trees". These two trees of different species lean on and support each other throughout their long lives. Aww...
What comes down, must go up: The Sceniscender.
Cloud shadows drift across the valley...
It was a 2-hr drive back to the city area of Sydney, so we watched Dirty Dancing on the bus on our way back. Strangely, that was the first time I ever watch that movie in full! Harmless teenage fun, with some pretty smooth dance moves. My NUS hall actually did a 'dancical' stage adaptation of that show last time. Anyway, we went to Chinatown to have dinner by the time we're back in town. The locals seem to have an almost fetish fondness of tofu and lettuce, coz we got the exact dishes as the previous night, and it's not the same restaurant!
Sydney Chinatown.
Weird golden tree in Chinatown.
After dinner, my parents and the majority of the tour group was heading back to the hotel to rest, but this newlywed couple, Alex and Coleen, were planning to go check out the night scene around Darling Harbour. My parents encouraged me to go with them, so me and a few others join them for a walk around town central area of Sydney. Check out the cool night lights!
I have no idea what building is this, but I thought it was cool to put a Xmas tree there...
This is actually the interior of a movie cinema!
Darling Harbour (this was taken around 8.30pm. Noticed the sky? Bloody summer...)
Darling Harbour, again.
Darling Harbour, yet again.
I could've been on Singapore Idol! :P
Xmas tree, O Xmas tree...
Looks like Clarke Quay, eh? :P
We went to the Star City casino nearby. No cameras allowed in the casino, so no photos taken there. Applied for a membership card coz it's free, plus u get $10 playing money. :P The playing money couldn't be redeemed as cash, but I found a way to bypass the system. I started playing at a machine, and gradually unload the value in my card into the machine as credits. As soon as the card was emptied and the money was in the machine, I just hit the "collect" button and get the $8 left FOR FREE. Hehehehe...
Women's shoes with Men's Sizes?? This has got to be Changi Villange heaven...
That's it for today. I've been editing this post for the past 4 hours. Time to put it up and rest for the next part: free day!
Australian little penguins.
Peacock (Diva!)
Parakeet. :)
Kangaroo.
Even kangaroo need to take care of an itch on the arse...
Red kangaroo.
Wombat (isn't that the biggest hamster you ever saw!?)
Dingo.
Porcupine.
Live plush toy!
"Hell, I look BETTER than a toy!"
All smiles :)
Sleepy heads.
Mother and Child.
"Whatcha got there? Nuts?"
"Psst, the kid with the hat! I'll hold this bozo down, and you grab his nuts. We'll split them 50-50, ok? On 3..."
"What's in that camera? Food?"
"So, can you tell us what's it like being a kangaroo?" "It's just like being a koala, only cuter."
"What's wrong with you, bro?" "Just wondering what's in your pouch." "You're a pervert, you know that?"
"Meet my new pet. He doesn't talk much, but at least he's toilet-trained. Imported from Malaysia."
Sheep shearing session at the Koala Park. I could just use that fur as a blanket. It felt so compfy. :)
After visiting the park, it was a long, long drive to the Blue Mountains. By the time we reach the echo point on Katoomba, dark clouds were already gathering all around us. Took these photos before the rain hit us.
Me, standing on the brink of a storm.
The 3 Sisters. Legend has it that once upon a time, before the eve of a war, a chieftain/shaman turned his 3 daughters into stones so they can safe, and planned to turn them back to human form once the war was over. However (in typical folklore-plot-hole-cover-up fashion), he was killed in the war, and so the sisters are forever trapped in rock form.
Took this before the rain the came. I like the vague lines of the landscape.
Since it was raining, all we could do was have lunch at a revolving restaurant in the visitor centre. It has a darn cool view of the whole valley. Potential travellers take note! :P When the rain stopped, it's a trip into the forest and back...
Outside the visitor's centre, there're statues depicting the story of The 3 Sisters. I have no idea why they're still smiling while being turned into stone...
The 3 Sisters from a distance.
This shot was taken after we took a 50+ degrees plunge down the hill on a train.
Coal mine on the Blue Mountains.
An interesting plant. There're exactly 5 leaves on every branch.
The "Kissing Trees". These two trees of different species lean on and support each other throughout their long lives. Aww...
What comes down, must go up: The Sceniscender.
Cloud shadows drift across the valley...
It was a 2-hr drive back to the city area of Sydney, so we watched Dirty Dancing on the bus on our way back. Strangely, that was the first time I ever watch that movie in full! Harmless teenage fun, with some pretty smooth dance moves. My NUS hall actually did a 'dancical' stage adaptation of that show last time. Anyway, we went to Chinatown to have dinner by the time we're back in town. The locals seem to have an almost fetish fondness of tofu and lettuce, coz we got the exact dishes as the previous night, and it's not the same restaurant!
Sydney Chinatown.
Weird golden tree in Chinatown.
After dinner, my parents and the majority of the tour group was heading back to the hotel to rest, but this newlywed couple, Alex and Coleen, were planning to go check out the night scene around Darling Harbour. My parents encouraged me to go with them, so me and a few others join them for a walk around town central area of Sydney. Check out the cool night lights!
I have no idea what building is this, but I thought it was cool to put a Xmas tree there...
This is actually the interior of a movie cinema!
Darling Harbour (this was taken around 8.30pm. Noticed the sky? Bloody summer...)
Darling Harbour, again.
Darling Harbour, yet again.
I could've been on Singapore Idol! :P
Xmas tree, O Xmas tree...
Looks like Clarke Quay, eh? :P
We went to the Star City casino nearby. No cameras allowed in the casino, so no photos taken there. Applied for a membership card coz it's free, plus u get $10 playing money. :P The playing money couldn't be redeemed as cash, but I found a way to bypass the system. I started playing at a machine, and gradually unload the value in my card into the machine as credits. As soon as the card was emptied and the money was in the machine, I just hit the "collect" button and get the $8 left FOR FREE. Hehehehe...
Women's shoes with Men's Sizes?? This has got to be Changi Villange heaven...
That's it for today. I've been editing this post for the past 4 hours. Time to put it up and rest for the next part: free day!
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