Australia Thread 3

[mama squeak!]

^I wrote two blog posts of our 36-hour visits in Sydney. DIY lang both times ginawa namin. Sydney CBD is pretty compact so we were able to hit most of the tourists spots that time. Though instead of Bondi we went to Manly beach.

Our Blue Mountain tour naman we stayed overnight there. After dropping off our bags at our Sydney hotel, we hopped on the train to Katoomba where most visitors base themselves if they want to visit the Blue Mountains. Next day on the first bus trip we were there na kaya wala pang katao-tao and we were able to get on most of rides there na walang pila.

Haven't been to Melbourne yet. Hopefully next trip

[rocky]

^^sis, yan din sana target date ko kaso wala pa akong ticket. hehe! wait pa ako ng promo. sana maabutan nyo yong cherry blossoms, pa-start na yan eh

pangarap ko yang great ocean road. kaso ang layo lang ng byahe kung manggagaling akong canberra

mukhang ok naman IT mo sis, kung gusto mo pa isang beach puntahan mo na rin manly beach, maganda din don. yan pwede mong isama sa bondi.

 bili ka ng mga pasalubong sa paddy's market. mura don yong t-shirt, keychain & fridge magnet

[ataypool]

Bebeloo, okay matagal pa pala ikaw, may time pa for me to look for the device.

Spring ka pala nandito, if you're going to Bondi, you can do the Bondi to Bronte walk. http://www.sydney.com/things-to-do/nature-and-parks/walks/bondi-to-coogee-coastal-walk http://www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/recreation/beaches_and_coast/bondi_to_bronte_coastal_walk Diyan lagi dinadala ng kuya ko mga relatives/friends or head to Westfield Bondi.

re DFO Strathfield which should be DFO Homebush, and Birkenhead Point, halos pareho din naman mga shops. For accessibility via public transport, Birkenhead point one bus from Central Station in Sydney, sa DFO Homebush which is in Olympic Park you have to go to Strathfield station to take the bus to DFO. Although if you go to Strathfield, you will see some good Korean cafés and restaurants in the area, or you can take a side trip to Ikea in Rhodes, 2 or 3 stations away lang yata from Strathfield. Birkenhead Point is in a residential area near water. Myer and David Jones go on sale every week, maski hindi ka na mag-outlet. If you're after sneakers, Hype, Footlocker, Glue, etc. lagi rin may sale. There is also a small outlet in Chinatown, same building as Paddy's Market, where I always see a lot of Filipinos doing their shopping in Giordano and Esprit.

[rocky]

^sis, sarap ngang mag-shopping ng mga sneakers sa hype & footlocker

[ataypool]

^kung pupunta ka uli sa Paddys, sa outlet sa taas Market City mall, same floor as Esprit, nandun ang pop-up store ng Platypus Shoes. Dalawa kasi stores ng Platypus sa Market City. Minsan din dalawa pop-up stores nila sa Market City pag malaki na discount.

[rocky]

^noted sis, hindi ko nga alam yang outlet ng esprit. hanggang don lang ako sa ground floor

[ataypool]

^Madami din naman outlet sa taas in Market City, more than 10 naman, may Cotton On Kids, Cotton On Body, Converse, Rubi, Fila, other Aussie brands na maganda like Dotti, Valley Girl. Esprit Outlet doon you can get mga dating 150, 15 na lang. Tiyempuhan.

[bebeloo]

@mamasqueak: do you think it would be more reasonable na sa mismong katoomba na lang kami maghanap ng package tour for blue mountains? mejo natuwa kasi ako sa package na nakita ko, may kasamang featherdale and ferry ride, which gusto rin naming puntahan/gawin.

@ataypool: so you are saying na kahit di na kami lumayo para sa outlet shopping? mas ok yun if that's the case.. i'll add the coogee walk how about watson's bay?

@rocky: i'll add paddy's market

[mama squeak!]

^I haven't been to Featherdale but you don't need to get a package tour for the Blue Mountains. Madali lang naman puntahan ang Scenic World sa BM via train and bus. Yung numbers 4-10 sa itinerary ng tour nyo, nagawa namin na DIY lang. We spent roughly AUD49.00 for the whole IT (train, bus, entrance fee). But if you want to visit both places, I guess package tour ka nga so wala ng hassle figuring out how to get from one place to the other.

Yung ferry ride you can experience that if you plan to go to Manly beach or Taronga zoo.

[ataypool]

^sa outlets kasi most items a season or more behind although iyong Market City outlet maganda pa ang stock, and in Haymarket, from there just a 15 minute walk to Pitt St Mall, The Strand, QVB, Myer, David Jones. Sa Sydney CBD itself tabi-tabi na ang shops na madami discounted items. You can easily spend your whole day there.

Yes you can go to Watsons Bay maganda din, see The Gap (has a morbid reputation) and the nudist beach.

[choco_loka]

@bebeloo

Hi sis, i availed of a blue mountains tour package with blue ribbon day tour. they are one of the cheapest tour providers that i found on tripadvisor and with good reviews. isang maliit na coaster van lang kami noon siguro mga 15 people... may kasamang featherdale, scenic world (though you have to add aud 35 pag mag rides ka, which i highly recommend para lang ma experience, otherwise iwan ka sa car), tapos ferry ride pabalik maganda kasi sunset view i wrote about it on my blog din nasa profile signature ang link

[jessica]

Hi! Questions mga sis..... yung online submission para sa tourist visa http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/600-/Visitor-e600-visa-online-applications#eligible-passport-holders hindi na kailangan na isubmit ang passport, paano yung visa nun? Kasi husband ko need niya almost everyday ang passport niya.... sorry naguguluhan lang kasi ako, may mga previous trips na kami abroad as a family, first time visa applicant kami to Australia.

Yung incoming grade 3 namin, hindi pa naka enroll, mid april pa ang enrollment, ano kaya ang pwede docu para sa kanya kasi wala pa siyang cert of enrollment from school, balak ko sana mag apply na online this March, and ang alis namin ay end of May. Tourist visa ang i-apply namin, 4 kami (me, hub & 2kids), 1 week stay. Hihingi na sana ako sa school mamaya, para makuha ko na next week lalu na holiday na sa Thursday ata.

May list of required documents kaya after magcreate ng account and mag log in? Para may time pa ako to prepare documents kasi di ko alam yung mga documents na required.

May aunt ako sa Sydney, pwede bang hindi ko na siya ilagay sa application namin kahit hindi naman siya mag sponsor samin? Mag visit kami sa kanila siguro kung kaya pa, pero ayaw ko na sana siya magambala sa pag apply namin. Mga senior citizen na kasi sila ng husband niya. Sa Sydney din namin gusto mag ikot, tapus stay sa hotel. Check ng attraction for kids.

Thanks!

[rocky]

^hindi na need ipasa ang mismong passport sis, photocopy lang ng bio page & yong mga stamp. thru e-mail yong visa grant.

yes may mga suggested docs don after mong magbayad. pwede namang to follow yong docs. lagay mo na rin yong aunt mo sa application. hindi mo naman sya hihingan ng docs. full name, bday & address lang hihinging details non

[jessica]

Thank you sis..... Yug mga stamp, ng previous travels namin yan? Kasi kaka renew lang namin lahat ng passports nitong March 2016, last travel namin was 2015 pa, isasama kaya yun? Sayang pala. Travel to asian countries, korea, at US visa pahat yun nasa old passport namin, sayang naman.... Thank you!

[mama squeak!]

^you can submit recent travel stamps so you can establish your travel history maski pa sa previous passport nyo. And yes pwede to follow yung ibang docs basta submission is within a reasonable time frame. When I applied for my visa online my last document submission was three days after I filed my application.

[bebeloo]

@bebeloo

Hi sis, i availed of a blue mountains tour package with blue ribbon day tour. they are one of the cheapest tour providers that i found on tripadvisor and with good reviews. isang maliit na coaster van lang kami noon siguro mga 15 people... may kasamang featherdale, scenic world (though you have to add aud 35 pag mag rides ka, which i highly recommend para lang ma experience, otherwise iwan ka sa car), tapos ferry ride pabalik maganda kasi sunset view i wrote about it on my blog din nasa profile signature ang link

thanks sis, i will check them

mahigpit ba AU visa? what are the chances na madeny? i have full time permanent work here sa pinas, almost 3 years sa current company, i have bank savings na 500k and stock investments. however ang visas ko lang are korean and japan na single entry lang and expired na pero used naman. haven't been to EU countries and US. been to hk, macau, sg, my, cambodia, and vietnam. do i have a big chance na maapprove?

[rocky]

^yes, tiwala lang sis approve yan hehe ako nga 16K lang pera sa bank kasi si hubby naman sponsor ko. so sya ang nag-submit ng financial docs, proof na kaya nyang suportahan yong stay ko kung may mga travel ka sa pinas after ng AU sched attached mo na rin yong e-ticket para alam nilang hindi ka naman mag-overstay don

[bebeloo]

^ e naku sis, ako wala akong sponsor e

couple of questions pa, girls:

1. anyone of you tried watching a movie at darling harbour? andun daw yung biggest imax in the world?
2. can i do this in one day (and in what order)?
- Bondi Beach to Bronte Walk
- Watsons Bay and The Gap
- Manly Beach (Ride a ferry and catch sunset going back)
3. anyone here who has been to The Grounds of Alexandria? How far is it from the beaches? plan ko sana magbreakfast dyan before going to bondi, watsons, and manly.

[ataypool]

^1. Imax - been there twice. Bad experience ako, I had nausea and dizziness while watching.
2. Just look at the map; Manly Beach is at the north, Watsons Bay and Bondi at the eastern side. Mahirap gawin in one day unless you start very very early and you are fit like an athlete. www.131500.com for how to go to these places.
3. Grounds of Alexandria - in the inner-east of Sydney, again check www.131500.com for how to go from there to the beaches. Maybe the hype has died down, but to be sure, avoid the weekend. Never been there ayaw ko pumila.

[bebeloo]

^ i cant seem to get to the link sis. page cant be displayed lagi.

madali pa naman ako mahilo sa mga big screens. pero gusto ng mga kasama ko na mapanood yung suicide squad dun. naku, sunday pa naman yung plan ko for grounds. pero sana wala na nga yung hype by end of august. di ko alam na pinipilahan siya. nakita ko lang sa friend ko na nagpunta sila doon. ano bang makikita dun aside from cafe and animals?

is there a way para mapagkasya ko to in a day:

grounds of alexandria (breakfast)
bondi beach
manly beach (ferry)