Australia Thread 2

[crackadoo]

Where to shop in sydney? Best place for bargains? For branded stuff? Are the outlets worth visiting? Anong pwedeng mahoard sa Sydney?

[rocky]

^paddy's market for pasalubong

^^mama squeak!, mahabang byahe yan. check mo rin tiger air or jetstar baka halos same lang fare & mas mabilis pa

may dala kaming car, bale inabot kami 12 hours kasama na stopover. sydney>canberra>bairnsdale>melbourne route namin ni hubby

[mama squeak!]

^Oo nga mga 10-11 hours din. Tried mock booking and the cheapest I've seen for a sleeper compartment is AUD280 for two. Kaya if ever tuloy plan namin ni hubby we might take the overnight train para libre na rin one night hotel stay. Para lang kami natulog pag gising namin nandun na kami sa destination. We love taking trains kasi kaya every opportunity we get we try to experience riding the trains of the countries we visit. I'd like to know din how the Australian trains are compared to European and American train journeys.

 

[rocky]

^sabagay libre na rin overnight na-try namin ni hubby mag-train from melbourne-bairnsdale, economy parang PNR lang ng pinas. di ko naenjoy masyado kasi gabi, walang view at ang panget ng CR

[mama squeak!]

Hehe sis hindi mo ako mapapa-economy kung byahe is more than 3hours kasi sumasakit na tuhod ko pag ganyan. Showing my age but kailangan ko ma-stretch yung legs ko. I'm dreading nga yung flight ng CebPac to Sydney kasi anliit lang ng leg space daw. Tiis na lang siguro since nonrev or discounted fare kami. Start na sila on Tuesday. Dami ko bilin na pasalubong kay hubby!

[rocky]

^hehe! sis, masikip din yong sa PAL & luma na plane kaya pala laging nagpapa-upgrade si hubby. ako ngang hindi masyadong matangkad hindi komportable.

ngayon, try nya cebu pac naman. pinili na lang nya yong first row para maluwag. mas masarap mga chocolate nila, fave ko yong pods kaso tamad si hubby magbitbit ng marami

[mama squeak!]

Ay masarap yung Pods Snickers! One of my hubby's best friends is from Sydney kaya lagi may uwi. In return naman he is asking him to bring Tanduay. Susko at may balak mag-inuman! No worries though hubby doesn't drink while on duty. At ako naman bilin ko mag uwi sya ng mga meat pies and steaks. 

By the way, the crew hotel is at Ibis World square. Dami daw kainan that area?

[rocky]

^bakit nga ba gusto nila tanduay? yong isang friend din ni hubby na pinay either dried mango or tanduay gustong pasalubong. hehe!

di ako familiar sa location ng ibis sis. isang beses pa lang din kasi ako nakakapunta ng sydney. may isang sis natin nag-suggest ng STAR BAR along george street & ok naman, masarap yong steak at hindi ganon kamahal

[psyche18R]

Is it now allowed to bring in liquor?

[pinklilac]

▲ sis allowed naman magdala ng alak perp up to 2.23 liters lang yata double check mo na lang exact max limit.  Palagi ako may dalang GSM Blue, red horse at san mig..
basta declare mo lang

[psyche18R]

I see. Through check-in luggage? I thought bawal, lagi may gusto magpabili ng alak e. Takot lang ako kasi baka magkaproblem pa.

[pinklilac]

^ yup check in lang sis basta maayos lang bagbalot mo para di mabasag. Pati sigarilyo nagdadala ako. Dalawang kaha lagi dala ko.tuyo at dried fish din always ako dala hehe.

[eternalpink]

We processed our visa via VFS Global din, very straight forward naman. We received feedback directly from the embassy after 3 weeks and approved naman (1 year multiple entry). We were just honest on why we were travelling to AU more than once (Nov 2014 - 1st wedding anniversary & Sept 2015 for my cousin's wedding).

Hubby bought his PAL ticket through the travel expo in SMX a few months back.

'Officially' excited na kame, haha, hindi kame ma-excite properly until na-approve yung visa.

We'll be there for 22 days (Nov 8-30), really fortunate lang that my Ninang (Dad's sister) lives there and she offered for us to stay with her (mas magagalit pa daw pag hindi, hehe, may barkada din kase kame dun).

So far, here's the list of places we want to visit (we're staying in Sydney the whole time):
- Opera House (of course)
- Harbour Bridge
- Botanical Garden
- Bondi Beach
- Manly Beach
- Paddy's Market
- Circular Quay
- Taronga Zoo
- Luna Park

I'm still researching on other places (plus if may entrance fee or free admission), but it would be appreciated if you can suggest more places to visit.

Oh, and how's weather in November?

[mama squeak!]

^Did you specifically request for a long period validity/multiple entry visa? I plan to ask also for one since I'll be riding shotgun with my hubby who flies there regularly.

[rocky]

^^try nyo rin wax museum & darling harbour wag nyo ng puntahan yong sydney tower, hindi worth it mas maganda pa & mataas yong macau tower

[eternalpink]

Hi mama squeak, may question kase sa application if one time travel lang ba (something to that effect), we just indicated na no tapos spinecify namen yung 2 reasons.

Hi rocky, I just found a $99 combo deal (Sydney Ultimate Pass) going to the following:
- Sydney Tower Eye
- Skywalk
- Sea Life Sydney Aquarium
- Wild Life Sydney Zoo
- Madame Tussauds Sydney

Valid siya for 30 days (http://www.sydneytowereye.com.au/tickets/#ultimate-sydney-pass); I checked online kung how much each attraction and if we go to all and pay full price, aabutin din ng $250++ (walk in) or $150++ (online booking).

Sulit ba sa Luna Park? I love theme parks kase, hehe!

Thank you for the suggestions, by the way, hehe!

Other suggestions are most appreciated!

[rocky]

^di ko napuntahan yang luna park sis. wax & sydney tower combo yong kinuha namin. kaso hindi worth it yong tower. mas matagal pa yong pinila namin sa lift pababa kesa stay sa taas. wala din naman kasing makikita masyado pag gabi. mas ok siguro kung umaga kayo pumunta. yong wax ok lang din, halos pareho lang din sa HK. pero madami ding celeb na hindi ko kilala

[eternalpink]

Iffy pa din ako actually sa Sky Tower and Madame Tussaud's, we'll play it by ear nalang siguro if we'll avail of the combo medyo matagal naman kame dun hehe!

[mama squeak!]

^Thanks sis! I haven't seen the application form pa kasi need to create an account for the online application pa. Pero I still can't get over na it takes a month to apply for a visa here   

[rocky]

sis eternalpink, spring pag november pero papainit na rin yan kasi pa-summer na