Wednesday, May 16, 2007
160507 - Reminiscing Australia & Malaysia
But anyway, yup, went Australia last month. Recap for those who are interested to know (since i'm sick at home today and the TV is being hogged by my mum.. so update loh)
Day 1
Reached Australia on Day 1 by SQ at around 6am in the morning. SQ ppl fed us like pigs in wee mornings.. Me and my known-for-decade friend KS were being welcomed by the tour agency ppl where we booked our city tour from. Once we stepped out of their airport a strong gush of cold air welcomed us and I was caught in surprise that it was indeed cooling outdoors. Like 13 degrees or less. Due to the fact that our hotel check in time was 3pm, we 'discarded' our luggages at hotel lobby and both of us started our own exploring. Our hotel was just 3minutes away from the city centre, so it's a very convenient no need to spend a lot on transport kinda good place. We walked to the city centre, greeted by closed shops. It was only 8am when we stood in front of the London Court.
Well, we are not hungry after the major feast in the sky.. so we went snapping photos of the buildings and see see look look. 
Then walked to the famous Swan Bells. See picture. I took photo machiam like pro le. Looks like a giant glass tear drop. It's near the sea and i supposed the evening time the tower will be more beautiful. We also asked about the price for the boat ride. Too expensive, we decided to try out other time... Besides, our city tour will also include a boat ride.. so, why pay more?
Hopped onto the first CAT bus we saw. Central Area Transit for long. It's free. Good. KS & I love to follow our heart, so we just get onto the bus then see where it can bring us to. Afterall, we are armed with the maps and it's looped. No harm.
Brought us to Western Australia National Museum. Got another 15mins before it open, so we walked around snapping photos. Noticed their public toilet which is automated. Mountain turtle me went shooting the photo and video. It's like you gotta press the Open button, then the toilet door open, then automatic closed. Once it's closed, there will be music on. So can do business there with some classical music to fit the mood. However, if you're not done by 10mins, the door will open. Haha... But too bad the one i went to was a bit vandalised cos it's near their pubbing area.
Well, went to the museum, seen some life sized animals' skeletons. Snapped snapped snapped. After about 1hour in museum, we hopped onto another colored CAT. Bu Zhi Bu Jue brought us back to the city centre. Shops open le. We had KFC! Comparing Singapore's, theirs was more oily, but more finger licking good. I dun like their coke. No ice. Weather cold enough so no ice issit? After lunch was a series of shop shop shop.
Dinner was met up with Ruben, KS's friend. Had KFC again! Haha, but another branch one. But this time had their zinger. I prefer Singapore's. You must be thinking, huh how come there only have KFC issit? The answer is no, cos the friend wanna eat and we dun mind (I dun mind cos i thought it will be cheapest around town?) Love the fries, similar to Swensens! Spent the rest of the night enjoying the night view of city centre. Bought some groceries. Back to Hotel. Zzz
Day 2
Day 2 met up with KS's another friend Leeyan. Brought us to another side of the town tried delicious jap food @ low prices. Day spent shop shop shop.
Day 3
Our City Tour day. Met up with our tour guide Bryan. Our tour has been pushed to day 3 instead of day 1 cos not enough ppl (just me and KS). But realised that on this very day, we only got 3 pax going for the tour. A bit shocked but happy. Cos not much waiting. Realised the other 3rd person is also Singaporean, KS and I decided to call him "Ga gee nang" for our self reference.
We headed for beaches. i think total 3 beaches we went. The water was very clear. We had some breakfast with tea by the beach. I can't finish the drink, the tour guide asked me to tip it off the bush. Huh? I din get it. Ended up he poured my drink into the bush. Faint. So wat the water is clean, rubbish went to the bushes nearby.. Quite disappointed.
Went for boat ride. Passed houses by the sea. Yatches parked outside their houses. Digustingly rich. Snapped snapped.. Self taken photos as well.. Cool refreshing weather. Like doing air con facial to the face.
Next up, went to Macademia Nut farm.
Where they do the planting, cracking and flavoring of the nuts.
Lunch @ Fremantle. Fish & Chips. Said to be the best! Indeed very delicious. Then after lunch, we went to their market. Something like Bugis Village. Shop shop shop. Then we went to the Fremantle Motor Museum. Show case old antique cars. Ferraris, Lambogini, Jaguar, porshes, cadilacs and many others..
After that we went to King's Park. King's Park. Park belongs to the king. Haha.. Lame.. Anyway, it has a great sceneric view of the CBD... Ended our trip at around 5pm.
Went back to hotel and put down our stuff before heading for dinner. Bought sushi for dinner. Cos it's a buy one get one free. Cos their shops close at 6pm so everything must go kinda thing.
Day 4
Day 4 Sunday, met up with Andrew, another KS friend. He brought us to Harbour town where there is factory outlet for sports apparels. Adidas, Fila, Nike etc. Shop shop shop. Look see buy.
Spent quite a while there before going for dinner. Dinner at Northbridge. Their "clarke quay". We had vietnamese food. Very big serving. 3 pax spent $30 only and we ordered a lot! Ate till we almost explode.
Walked past some 'adult entertainment centre' selling some exotic adult toy, sexy lingerie, videos, dvds.. wanted to go for one peep show (AUS $2 only). Andrew said that the curtain open then a topless real girl start dancing one. He mentioned he never seen it b4 and jioed us in, but KS din wanna go in, so we ditched the idea of being curious. Walked past their Chinatown. Nothing much. Got lotsa chinese food. Got Singapore food as well. Their buy back food is put in those white boxes, just like in the movies. It seems like they love eating kangkong. Lotsa places selling it i think.Day 5
Last day in Australia. We chose for a next morning midnight flight instead of afternoon one cos price is same and why not spend another full day there instead of half. So we checked out hotel at 10am whereas we checked in airport only 11pm. Got our luggages at lobby again. Another free and easy day. We went Caversham wildlife park.
Took TransPerth bus to one of their bus interchange (Not those CAT buses as it did not go there). Till then know that their buses isn't cheap. About Aussie $2 per trip. They are more into 'drive your own vehicle' kinda country, so cars are rather cheap there. Almost all have cars, some even have 3 cars 2 bikes kinda combi. Anyway, made our way to the wildlife park. But, from the entrance to the wildlife park itself needs a 1.8km walk. KS was nagging while we walked. Then we saw a minibus approaching the same direction we are going to. We decided to hitch hike....! Yes, it's asking other ppl to long bang us into the park. Daring siah. Saw that it's a father and son, so we asked if they are going to the park. The father asked if we need a ride and so we save our energy walking in. Australians are so nice! Father brought son out to the park on a weekday. Son having holiday..so good... I think if it's 2 men, then we wun accept their offer of longbang-ing. Anyway it's very fortunate to have met the father and son.
Armed with motives to hug wombat, koalas and kangeroos, I managed to persuade KS who dislike animals to come with me. Well, din managed to hug wombat, but touched it's belly... Tried camel rides, touched ponies, kangeroos, koalas... snapped snapped snapped. I always thought koalas need to be in air con rooms.. but they were only inside an enclosure under a small shade.. The weather at the park is around 23 to 25 degrees, not as cold as city centre.
Went out of the park via their courtesy bus (free shuttle bus).. then took TransPerth back to city centre and had Mac for lunch.. Their burger is more fresh than that of Singapore. Fabulously delicious. Went to their expensive street where it sell Gucci, LV etc.
Night spent watching movie in their cinema.. Hmm more expensive than Singapore's but we paid for the experience. Only around 15 ppl in a 500-seater cinema.. Free seating for us. We watched Mr Bean's Holiday. Haha the way.. Not very hilarious, same typical Mr Bean show. Final shopping done in their transit...Reached Singapore at around 6.45am... Reached home at around 7+.. Went breakfast with my mum and sis before opening up my luggage. Afternoon spent unpacking, uploading pics and washing clothes..
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Malaysia - Truly Asia!
Last sat was our first staff outing. We went JB. About 29 of us.. We went kukup fishing village and took a boat ride to Kelong. Touched some jelly fish... We headed back on shore to have lunch. Seafood lunch by the sea. Not very fantastic but not bad.. Then went to durian plantation for durian buffet! Yummy~! Apart from durians, we had rambutans, coconuts, watermelons, baluku etc... had quite a lot of seeds of durians.. Most of the time spent travelling on the coach.. went to Tebrau Shopping Centre.. Similar to vivo.. Big with international brands. Bought a Mango top for my sis.. Wanted to get fridge magnets but not nice one.. so din get.. Bought mostly food.. then headed for dinner. Dinner spent along the beach. Very breathtaking sunset, though cannot compare with Australia, but better than Singapore's. Short trip, though nothing much, it's still quite worthwhile to go. Afterall, it's only $20 for the whole trip. Haha.. Oh yah, on the way back tried using the new biometric custom check in. Singapore's. At first thought will not go through cos my passport isnt the latest one. But hey, it still works. Scanned my passport and fingerprint.. then can enter le.. Simple and fast. Thumbs up for Singapore government fully utilised we tax payers money.. Good good...
Okay lah, such long entry. 有就有，没有就没有。。。