Last December, I had had the chance to travel around Australia. This trip report has been dragged for too long and now I'm going to share my experiences here.
First stop- Melbourne (Virginblue, flight 538)
Finally, the day came. I flew from Adelaide to Melbourne to meet my family for a trip there. Booked on Virginblue flight 538 on a Happy Hour deal for AUD$59/=.
Flight DJ538 was scheduled for push-back at 07:10 from gate 13
I did an online-check-in as I always hate queuing. After security check, I was at the gate well ahead of boarding. Boarding started at 30 min before flight, very efficient boarding. The flight was ready by 07:00 for 07:10 pushed back from gate 13. The flight was airborne at 07:25 from runway 05.
I was seated on the seat 7F. The flight was not full and the seat beside me was empty. The cabin cleanliness was ok, but the lavatory was not quite clean. There were stains on the toilet bowl. No in-flight entertainment was available on DJ flights. As it's a budget airline, meals have to be paid. The selection was quite limited and the meal serving was quite slow. I had sandwiches and apple juice for my breakfast.
The flight landed at 08:35 local time at Melbourne at gate 7.
My breakfast onboard.
Melbourne Trip
The flight arrived at Terminal 3 at MEL, and I walked to Terminal 2 to meet my family there. They were arriving from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur on Singapore Airlines and Malyasia Airlines. Our airport transfer was ready and we started our tour.
We reached the city at around 10:00am and started our city tour. We were quite amazed by the public transport system here in MEL. According to the tour guide, Melbourne was the first city to use Tram in Australia. Everywhere in the city, you could see the tram lines. The free city circle provided free tour in the city. Onboard the City Circle, detailed information was provided at every stop to introduce what tourist attraction etc is located around the stop.
Victorian Market was another attraction we visited. Here, you could find a variety of vegetable/ fruits sold here. The prices were quite reasonable. Souvenirs could be found here as well.
The Melbourne City. The Flinders St Station. The Federation Square is located opposite it.
The Federation Square. (Picture taken by my cousin, Anling)
We stayed at Batman Hill Hotel, located just opposite the Melbourne Railway/ Coach Terminal. Free newspapers were available in the morning at the reception and free hotdrinks were provided in the room. The Crown Casino, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre were in the walking distance. Federation Square was just few stop away by tram. Breakfast was provided every morning, however, the same dishes were served every morning.
Strawberry farm. My family members were enjoying picking the strawberry while I was busy taking photo around.
"Please check under your car before driving away". The sign at the carpark of the Penguin Centre at Philips Island.
The trip to Philips Island to watch the return of penguin from the ocean was the most exciting one for this trip. We reached Philips Island in the evening. We walked around the penguin centre and reached the beach just before sunset at 8:30pm (note that this was daylight savings time). Photo taking was strictly prohibited at the penguin centre. At approximately 8:45pm, the first group of penguins were sighted. And everybody became very excited. On our way back to the entrance, we could see the penguins just walked nearby!
Gold mine at Ballarat, Melbourne.
The Sovereign Hill at Ballarat was another attraction we visited. Gold was discovered here in the 1850s. Ballarat is the largest inland city in the State of Victoria. After the closure of Old Sydney Town in January 2003, Sovereign Hill is the only historical theme park in Australia. Stepping into this area, we found ourselves walking in the town of late 19th century. There was an indoor theatre here in the gold mine where we watched the story of a Chinese Gold miner who came to Ballarat at early 1900s.
We were quite amazed by the view at The Twelve Apostles. Located at the Great Ocean Road, they are limestone that formed naturally. Due to the erosion, four has collapsed.
Second stop- Adelaide (Virginblue, flight 549)
After spending 5 days in Melbourne, we left for Adelaide. I booked myself and 11 of my family members on the flight 549 from MEL to ADL on Happy Hour deal for AUD$59.
Waiting for take-off clearance. 3 flights ahead of us and another Qantas 747 on the other end of runway. We were on queue number 5 for take off.
As we were a big group, we couldn't use the kiosk or internet check-in. I apprached one of the Virginblue staffs who organized for the check-in for my group. Check-in was efficient and the wheel chair I requested for my guest was ready when I approached the check-in counter.
The flight was scheduled to depart from gate 7. Boarding started at 16:30 and was pushed back at 17:15 sharp. As one of my guests was having difficulty in walking, we were given priority boarding. I was seated on the seat 4C on this flight.
It was the busiest time at MEL airport. Ahead of us, four other flights were waiting for the take off clearance, and another three behind us. Finally, we were airborne at 17:30.
The flight landed at 18:05 local time on runway 05 at Adelaide, arrived at gate 16. I personally felt that the pilots' skills need to improve as the landing was very unpleasant and made most of my guests feeling dizzy.
Adelaide Trip
We went for a one-day trip at Adelaide Hills in Adelaide. Here, we visited Geoff Wildlife Park, where we had the chance to see and take photo with koala. The wildlife park was quite big with a wide variety of animals.
Melba Chocalate Factory. My second visit. (file picture, taken 3 April 2006)
The German Town- Hahndorf, Adelaide. It was raining when we reached Hahndorf. This was the second time I visited this place. (file picture, taken 3 April 2006)
Melba's Chocalate factory was another place we visited where we bought quite alot of chocalates. A variety of chocalate was made and sold here.
It was a pity that it was raining heavily when we reached the German Town at Hahndorf.
Third stop- Sydney (Qantas, flight 730)
After spending 3 days in Adelaide, we headed Sydney. This was our last stop for our Australia trip.
We were booked on Qantas 730. This was the earliest flight departing Adelaide Airport. We left our hostel at 0430 for the 0600 flight.
Sydney trip was not initally on our itinerary. However, as my family couldn't book on a flight depart from ADL, they made a transit here and took a chance to stop by for 2 days.
The cabin was quite empty.
We arrived at the airport at 05:00. Check-in was fast and efficient. After the security screening, we were waiting at the boarding gate. Boarding started at 05:35. I was seated at 25C but then moved to the empty seat at 24A. The flight was ready at 0550 and pushed back at 05:58 and airborne minutes later from runway 23. The flight was quite empty with only approximately 50% load.
Soon after take off, the breakfast was served. The meal was ok, but the portion was small. The in-flight entertainment was available but it was fitted as one for couple of rows. At approximately 07:35 (Sydney time), the captain voice appeared and informed us that we were making intial descending soon and we would arrive Sydney 20 min before scheduled time. The flight landed at 08:05 at Sydney Terminal 3. It was really a very pleasant flight.
Breakfast onboard QF730.
Sydney Trip
We stayed at PiPacific International Hotel in Sydney. It was quite near to China town.
I would say that the Sydney trip was not the most pleasant one. First of all, I think that some of the public facility such as the public toilet here in Sydney was not quite clean as compare to those in Melbourne and Adelaide. It was quite crowded here as well. And finally, I think that the trip was quite rush due to time limitation here and we were generally not statisfied with the irresponsible driver guide.
The Rock, Sydney.
Sydney Opera House. Photo taken onboard Captain Cook Cruise.
A closer look at the Sydney Opera House.
The first day, we visited The Rock, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tower and went on the Captain Cook Cruise where we met a very unhappy incident.
The ticket to Sydney Tower included the OzTrek. Fitted with 180-degree cinema screen, OzTrek brought us on an amazing virtual adventure across Australian cultural, history and geography.
Onboard of Captain Cook Cruise, we were queuing for our lunch when this Korea tour leader led his group and jumped the queue. We were not quite happy with his action and my aunty warned him not to push her. However, instead of stopping to do so, he started to push us, making three of my guests fall down. The incident has been reported to the relavant authorities and I believed and hoped that the appropriate action was taken.
We visited Sydney Fish Market the next morning. Here, you could buy quite a wide range of fresh fish or fish products or order a fresh fish meal here.
Blue Mountain, Sydney
After visiting the Sydney Fish market, we headed Blue Mountain. Blue Mountain was located at approximately 80km West of Sydney. It was saying that this area was created from volcanic eruptions over 170 million years ago. The scenery here was quite nice and it was quite cold here. My heart beat increased when I looked down the extremely steep cliff. The "Three Sister" stone was another scenery here at Blue Mountain with 922, 918 and 906 metres tall respectively. It was saying that Three Sisters from Katoomba tribe had fallen in love with three brothers from Nepean tribe, however, they couldn't get married because of the tribal law. This has triggered a major tribal war as the three brothers used force to capture the three sisters. In order to protect the lives of the three sisters, a witchdoctor from Katoomba tribe turned the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm and he intended to reverse them when the battle was over. However, the witchdoctor was killed in the war. As the witchdoctor was the only person who could reverse the three sisters, they remain as the rocks here as a reminder for generations to come.
The Three Sisters
The Return (Jetstar, flight 610)
It was the end of my Australia trip. I booked on Jetstar JQ610 heading home. My family members have left Sydney airport earlier on Malaysia & Singapore Airlines to Kula Lumpur and Singapore.
I checked out from my room at 11:00. As my airport transfer won't arrive till 11:20, having some time to spare, I spent AUD$1.00/= on the internet kiosk located at the lobby at the hotel. At 11:15, I was called and my airport transfer was at the door. I reached the airport at 11:40am for 13:05 departure. Check-in was slow and took approximately 20 min.
As I had a invitation from Qantas, I visited Qantas lounge at SYD Terminal 2. The choice of food in the lounge was not much but the food was ok. Internet access was available here and I took the chance to check my email my bus-timetable here. Meeting room and shower were also available here.
Lunch bar at the Qantas lounge (SYD, Terminal 2)
Qantas lounge in SYD Terminal 2
Computers, printer and internet access were available here.
I headed the boarding gate after being called for boarding. Boarding has started when I reached the gate and the flight was ready well ahead of scheduled time for pushed back. This flight was quite full. Jetstar now allowed passengers to pre-select their seat while booking online and I have selected seat 10F.
In-flight entertainment was available on request and charged at a low price. As I was pretty tired after the journey, I did not try on its in-flight entertainment. As it's a budget airline, meals have to be paid. I was sleeping throughout the flight and didn't take any meal in-flight.
Arrived in Adelaide.
Gate 16 at ADL. The gate which I departed from and arrived at on most of my flight here in Adelaide since this new airport was opened in late 2005. (file picture, taken 8 Dec 2006).
The flight landed at 14:35 local time at Adelaide at gate 16. The luggage handling was fast and I get my bag within 5 min since I reached the belt.
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