Australia Thread 2

[rocky]

^waaaah inggit ako sis may cherry blossoms din pala don & yong floriade talaga gusto ko ring puntahan kaso nagkataon na si hubby ang nagpunta dito sa pinas last week. by next year sana makabalik uli. sa canberra outlet mura mga shop don pero sa iba mahal

sis pinksuman, sa adina kent street kami nag-stay ni hubby. maganda location, lakad lang pa-darling harbour, chinatown, queen victoria & paddy's market. madami ding resto & convenience store. nilakad din namin circular quay pero medyo malayo. di ko rin naman halos napansin na malayo kasi maganda view

http://www.tfehotels.com/brands/adina-apartment-hotels/adina-apartment-hotel-sydney/

[kisses1417]

Hi ^rocky, yes i was trying to go to melbourne sana para sa botanical gardens nila kasi dun yung nakikita kong cherryblossoms, i want to viisit cowra pa nga kasi dun lang may cherryblossoms based on my research. Tapos upon walking walking sa sydney botanical garden, sabi ko sa sis ko, hihimatayin yata ako. Sabi nya, why??? Sabi ko wahhhh cherryblossoms!!!! Ang babaw babaw ko lang pero its true! Dream come true. I super fell in love with australia! 😊

[rocky]

^so kahit saan pala meron. na-excite ako bigla kaya napa-research ako kanina and good thing meron din sa cowra, kasi may friend si hubby na na-meet ko dito sa manila & pasyal din daw ako sa kanila sa cowra pagbalik ko ng AU gusto ko talaga makakita non saka vineyard. kasi naman si hubby tinatawanan lang ako pag sinasabi kong magpapapic ako sa mga baka & sheep. kala nya hindi ako seryoso, eh di ba nakaka-amaze kasi don sobrang lawak ng lupain, maganda view tapos pakalat-kalat lang sila. hehe

[kisses1417]

Hi sis rockey, parehas tayooo!!! I even googled vineyards in australia

[pinksuman]

ataypool,
yes sis, my friend can pick us up sa Sydney airport then papuntang yass kaya lang ayaw ni hubby coz nakakahiya daw =) 4 hrs drive kase roundtrip kaya plan naming to stay sa Sydney about 2 nights then go ourselves sa Yass.

kisses1417,
nice to hear that you enjoyed your vacay there. share naman kung san yung outlet mall dyan sa Sydney! =) na excite naman ako dyan!

rocky,
thank you sis sa hotel recommendation. mga AUD300++ na ang rate per night =)

kakatawa naman yang mga cherry blossoms na yan =) saw that too nung spring time sa japan and it was soooo awesome! =)

bukas vacay here so research research ng iti =)

thank you so much sa mga recommendations! any cute little girls clothes etc na mura and guys clothes etc?

[kisses1417]

Sa birkenhead kami nagpunta, nike shirts were like 25 dollars for 2. Tapos yung mga kids mas mura. Tapos sa target, best and less and, big W, aldi ang daming clearance na tig 5 dollars lang. Cotton on lagi may sale. Dami ko nabili dress at 10 dollars lang. Dami boots whether casual or winter boots nagkalat may mga iba as low as 5 dollars. Pero mga ugg boots usually 70 dollars yata mura ko nakita

[ataypool]

Pinksuman, huwag na kayo mahiya sa friend niyo. Pa-pick up na lang kayo from the nearest main city na Canberra yata.

About outlet stores, yes Birkenhead is a good option. You can also go to Direct Factory Outlet in Homebush, or Market City, above Paddys Markets, in Haymarket/Chinatown. You are going to Melbourne anyway which has better options in outlet shopping according to my friends.

Go to the outlet stores ng Esprit for both kids and men's clothes, they always offer discounts on already reduced items. Ang dami kong Filipinos na nakikita na bumibili lagi diyan. Better yet, go to Myer and David Jones. They offer huge discounts around Christmas time.

[rocky]

^sis pinksuman, kung in-offer naman ng friend mo na pag-drive kayo why not? kasi makaka-save talaga kayo. pero medyo hassle nga yon sa part nya kasi magda-drive sya, gas, parking sa airport na uber mahal & toll fee. yon kasi naisip ko nong susunduin ako sa airport ni hubby, sabi ko mag-bus na lang ako. hehe! malakas kasi loob kong mag-commute kahit first-time. pero kung nahihiya ka talaga sis mag-bus na lang kayo from airport to canberra, derecho na yon hanggang terminal. then sa terminal na lang kayo pick-up dahil uber mahal din ng cab. sakay lang kayo ng murray bus paglabas ng airport don na mismo terminal ng murray, sobrang comfy & may free wifi. nong na-try nga namin ni hubby yon, mula non ayaw na nyang dalhin car. from canberra, around 45 mins. siguro to yass

http://www.murrays.com.au/ExpressService.aspx

[Lilacs]

Makasabat na nga rin mga sister.  At baka may kapulutan rin kayo sa aking ishi share.

Yes maganda, malaki at mahal dito sa oz. 
Kung medyo marami kayong time at budget is unlimited ay havey na havey. Kung parehong limited, pwede pa rin naman mag enjoy. It pays to do the research.  Ano ba trip nyo gawin dito at bisitahin?
Kasi napakayaman ng australia sa bundok, tubig, isla, iconic treasures yada yada...

For first time tourist, given naman na lahat gusto makarating at makita ang sydney opera house. In fact di kumpleto ang australia trip mo pag wala ka picture sa tabi, sa harap at sa gilid ng  opera house.  Ang sydney ay capital city ng New South Wales.  So hindi lang sydney ang must go sa NSW. Try nyo rin pumunta sa Katoomba area, Blue Mountains, Jenolan Caves pwede ring day trip to from sydney, by driving or train. Pero mas maganda kung mag spend kayo ng night nearby the areas para mas ma appreciate.

Sa Victoria, of course Melbourne. They pride themselves as art state, good restaurant. Iba rin ang vibe dito. be warned, erratic ang weather sa victoria. May 4 seasons in a day talaga sila. So always bring jacket dahil bigla bigla na lang lalamig at hahangin kahit katirikan ng araw.  Again pagkatapos nyo explore ang mga usual touristy places sa melbourne, pwede kayong lumayo. Maganda ang Great Ocean Road trip, very scenic,  punta na kayo hanggat may natitira pang apostles. Dati 12 yun. The last na punta namin 9 na lang yata natira. Kung makakapag scenic helicopter ride kayo, breath taking ang view from above.

Ayan muna. Itutuloy...

[rocky]

^hala bakit sya nauubos sis? kala ko 12 pa rin. yon talaga gusto kong balikan sa melbourne. medyo malayo lang talaga kaya hindi ko na pinilit kay hubby. next time na lang pagbalik ko

[Lilacs]

^sis rocky, due to erosion & other forces of nature na rin. may nabasa nga ko review recent lang sa tripadvisor, 8 obelisks na lang daw ang visible. mga atleast 3hrs driving sya from the city.  keri naman. one of the best roadtrips view. kaya try not to miss it and go there when weather is fine.

[rocky]

^thanks sis, kasama talaga sya dapat sa itinerary ko kaso that time nagkasakit dad-in-law ko kaya from bairnsdale sinamahan na lang namin sya magpa-check up sa melbourne. then habang hinihintay result, siningit ni hubby na ipasyal ako. pero pagbalik ko pipilitin ko na si hubby puntahan namin yan

[mama squeak!]

Ladies, question please. Has anybody tried applying for their visas online? I mean directly from the Australian Embassy's website? Halos kasi nabasa ko dito is thru VIA and VFS. Kung meron man naka-try ng online application, how was it? TIA.

[ikaela]

^We are in the process of applying for a family-sponsored visa, and we're doing everything online. Okay naman, very easy to use. I use the replies in the Australian Visa thread on Pinoy Exchange as a guide.

Medyo paiba-iba lang yung requirements. One said he had everything notarized, while another said he just scanned all his attachments and didn't have anything notarized. Both got their visas approved.

You use a credit card to pay for the visa fee. If they aren't so strict about the notarized/certified true copies, at least make sure all documents are clearly scanned and in color.

[mama squeak!]

^Thanks sis! I already filled up the online form but I put it on hold muna until I have all my supporting documents for attachment. Re notarized copies, yun nga din nabasa ko in some of the blogs I read. But good to know meron din na hindi nagpanotarize. I might just scan my documents, clear copies naman lahat.

I'm just wondering how long it will take for the processing. I hope hindi naman aabutin ng one month if direct application with the embassy.

[ikaela]

^A reply in the Pinoy Exchange thread said that this is the busiest time of the year for visa applications, and the usual 2 weeks may take up to 3 weeks to a month. :/

[sachism]

^ kaya pala sis. Wala pa yong sakin na more than 1 week na. Pero sa isa kong kasama less than 1 week ok na he is leaving today. Kaya I had to rebook my flight.

Sa OB ko naman who applied online, approx 2 weeks nga daw and he was given 5 yrs multiple. Halos sabay kaming aalis pero wala pa Visa ko.

For T1 to T2 transfer ano mas madali? By bus or train? I am 4 mos pregnant kasi travelling alone. Ngayon lang ako magkakaconnecting to a domestic flight sa AU. MNL-SYD-BNE ang flight itin ko. Sa BNE na din naman ako magke claim ng luggage tama ba?

Thanks.

[mama squeak!]

^Wow! They give 5yrs multiple pala? That's good to know. I thought the longest was 1yr multiple. Would you know if this is your OB's first AU visa?

[sachism]

^1 year multiple nga ang na experience ko lang din. Pero business trips ito. So baka pag tourist visa they do?

Hindi 1st time ni OB. Since new passport nya, ginaya daw expiration date ng passport nya. Nagulat ngako. Pinakita pa nya sa akin sa phone nya. Nakakatiwa ang 5 yrs multiple.

[mama squeak!]

^Thanks sis! Though this will be my first time to apply I am hoping they'll give me 1yr multiple. I'd like to take advantage of my free tickets and accommodation.