Australia Thread 4

[rocky]

^congrats sis ang bilis na ng processing nila ngayon

[_Jasmin_]

We received our visas last Monday and Tuesday. Mine was sent first then I got a call from immigration asking me for additional document for my son and was able to sent it outright. The following day I received my son's visa. We were given one year multiple entry visa. Same sentiments as others. Would've been great if they give out longer validity kase ang mahal ng visa fee nila! Hahaha!

[rocky]

^korek! sa mahal ng pamasahe & layo, kahit multiple hindi mo rin magagamit ng bongga kasi 1 year lang. hehe ngayong year pass muna ako, hindi ko nabisita si hubby. hopefully next year ulet

[_Jasmin_]

^ True sis! Feeling ko di ko din magagamit ulit after our visit this Christmas. Hahaha!

Were planning to go on a roadtrip from NSW to Goldcoast and visit the themeparks this time. Last 2015 Sydney, NSW and Canberra kami.

[rocky]

^fave ko rin yang roadtrip pa-GC, lagi kami stopover sa port macquarie. masaya mag-camel ride sa beach hehe! nag-themepark kami pero di ko sya bet kasi hindi naman ako pwede sa roller coaster dahil sa vertigo ko. buti na lang 4-in1 yong nakuha kong voucher sa groupon

[_Jasmin_]

I think nasa itinerary din namin ang stopover for 1-2 days in Port Macquarie on our way to Goldcoast. We opted for Goldcoast for the themeparks kase my son and my niece are at the age na mahilig. And sana sila na ang magkasama sa rides kase di ko rin bet ang thrill rides. Haha! I would've wanted Melbourne sana kaso sabi ng sister ko kapag medyo malaki na daw yung iba kong pamangkin kami mag roadtrip to Melbourne kase yung mga tourist spots in Melbourne are also far from the city so additional travel. I'm excited na for this trip. Sana di ako ma sunburn. It was winter the first time we went so di ko masyadong na enjoy.

[rocky]

^kung summer sobrang init nyan sa GC. hehe kulet ng mga local, nakapaa lang sila & kahit naka-swimsuit sa mall ok lang. hehe kahit sa kalsada nagbibihis wala silang pake, ikaw pa nga mahihiyang tumingin

aliw din sis yong strawberry picking sa ricardoes farm sa port macquarie. ganda ng greenhouse nila
http://www.ricardoes.com/

medyo malayo nga din mga spot sa melbourne. nag-booked ako ng great ocean road tour, 3 hours away from melbourne. sulit!

[_Jasmin_]

^Sobrang init nga daw sabi ng sister ko, abot daw 40deg. Plus ang dami daw langaw. Jusko. Hahaha!  Di nga sana recommended ng sister ko ang summer for Australia visit kaso yun lang ang bakasyon ng anak ko. Last punta namin July-Aug 2015, umabsent siya ng 2 weeks kailangan ko pang sumulat sa principal ng school. 

Mag fruit picking din kami. Ni request ko yan sa sister ko pero sabi nya sa may malapit na lang daw kami ng Blue Mountain kase pupunta kami don. Di kase namin napuntahan dati.  Peach yata ang in season sa December. Pero consider namin yang Ricardoes baka bet ng mga kids.

[_Jasmin_]

^^ I enjoyed our trip to Aus this time. I loved the road trip from NSW to Goldcoast. Daming gandang sceneries! We also stopped by Port Macquarie for 2 nights and 2 days and the kids tried the camel ride by the beach. Nakakaaliw tingan. Haha! Our airbnb accommodation is just right in front of lighthouse beach. Di kami nakapag fruitpicking. Pumunta kami sa isang farm near Blue Mountains and closed pala sila during weekdays. Nag enjoy din ako sa Wollongong, NSW.  Ang ganda din ng mga dadaanan on the way.

[travelling_daisy]

Hi!

I am planning for an OZ trip next year. Still thinking if we'll go in autumn or spring season.
Alin po ba ang season na hindi masyado maulan?

Also, I have few more questions, hope you could all provide me comments/inputs. Sorry, medyo marami, first timer sa Sydney.. pasensya na po
1. How much is the usual airfare to Sydney? (Just so I have a gauge na if acceptable na yung makikita kong air fare when I do the booking...)
2. I am initially eyeing on booking Singapore Airlines for the trip, but if CebuPac will be on promo, I  might consider it too. Has anyone flew to SYD via CebuPac? How was the experience po?
3. As for the visa, how early can we apply for one? Pwede bang mag-apply 6 months in advance?
4. I am also looking at booking a hotel near Central Station, is this location okay?
5. Between Featherdale and Taronga Zoo, alin ang mas maganda?

Yan po muna for now. I appreciate if anyone could provide me advice.

Maraming salamat!:)

[ataypool]

1. I live in Sydney, based sa pricing ng Sydney to Manila return,  Cebu Pac has the lowest fare, between 500 to 650 AUD but between December to January, magkapareha lang sila ng PAL. When PAL goes on sale, the fare's about 650 AUD. Minsan sumasabay ang Qantas and Cathay Pacific sa sale.
2. Cebupac is okay pag konti tao. Pag puno, maingay na kasi everyone's ordering instant cup noodle or drinks, even at past midnight. Their flights from Manila sa midnight or 1 AM pag DST.
4. Central Station is okay. Convenient naman, lalo na to the airport.
5. Between Featherdale and Taronga Zoo, alin ang mas maganda? Mahirap pumili. Taronga Zoo, malaki kaya nakakapagod. Featherdale is smaller but you get to interact more with the animals. Going to Taronga Zoo you can catch the ferry at Circular Quay and at least you can see the Opera House, while Featherdale is in the middle of a far away suburb (about an hour from Sydney). Friends and relatives from outside Australia who have been to both prefer Featherdale kasi sa interaction with the animals pero depende na rin sa iyo but they had the convenience of us bringing them to those places kaya they didn't have to worry about transport and tickets. If you decide to go to Featherdale, just take the train to the nearest station, then get an Uber or Taxi to Featherdale.

[travelling_daisy]

^Thanks so much, sis ataypool!

I will look into PAL, Qantas and Cathay flights also. Hope I can score a good deal.

I am still researching with regards to the places we will visit pero baka limited lang kase 5 days lang balak ko. Initially, I have these on my list:

Featherdale or Taronga Zoo
Blue Mountains
Circular Quay
Sydney Opera House
Harbour Bridge
St. Mary's Cathedral
Royal Botanical Garden
Bondi Beach or Manly Beach

Feasible kaya ito  sa 5 days?

I will be with 2 kids (ages 12 and 13... and are not much into art galleries and history stuff) and my husband.

Thanks so much!

[rocky]

Hi!

I am planning for an OZ trip next year. Still thinking if we'll go in autumn or spring season.
Alin po ba ang season na hindi masyado maulan?

parehong ok na season yan & maganda paligid. hindi maulan & sakto lang yong lamig, masarap maglakad. pero mas fave ko spring dahil sa cherry blossoms & floriade festival sa canberra

[travelling_daisy]

^good to know that, sis rocky!

Hope you could give comments also on my other questions. Thank you.

[ataypool]

^Very doable in 5 days, maganda pa nga plan mo kasi it looks relaxed, but avoid sa weekend ang Blue Mountains if you decide to travel by train especially on a Sunday (low fares), and I think there are coaches available from Central station. Our trains are not as reliable as SG, HK, Taiwan, Japan and SK. Sydney is as fun as Singapore on daytime (hahaha!) but at least the beaches are there. Bondi Beach na lang, it's iconic and talagang maganda.

[rocky]

^^travelling_daisy, may nabooked ako dati nong ni-launch yong cebu pac manila-sydney 2,500 one-way then pauwi 6K so ok pa rin. mas gusto ko pa nga plane ng cebu pac mas bago kesa PAL. hehe! abang ka lang ng promo tutal matagal pa naman plan mo. may makukuha ka pang murang tix. yong visa at least 2 months siguro, dati kasi inaabot ng 1 month processing pero ngayon mas mabilis na. 6 months lang kasi valid yong visa then 3 months maximum stay. yong taronga zoo nakakapagod sobrang laki & hindi mo rin mahahawakan koala kasi may bayad, then ang haba pa ng pila plus mahal entrance fee. mas bet ko bondi beach though maganda din naman manly

[travelling_daisy]

^Very doable in 5 days, maganda pa nga plan mo kasi it looks relaxed, but avoid sa weekend ang Blue Mountains if you decide to travel by train especially on a Sunday (low fares), and I think there are coaches available from Central station. Our trains are not as reliable as SG, HK, Taiwan, Japan and SK. Sydney is as fun as Singapore on daytime (hahaha!) but at least the beaches are there. Bondi Beach na lang, it's iconic and talagang maganda.

Good to know sis na very relaxed lang yung planned itinerary ko. Might add some pa though, pero baka restos and cafe na. Any recos?

May mga tours din daw available going to Blue Mountains, sis, some with stop at Featherdale Zoo? I might consider that if worth the price. Or do you think taking  the coaches from Central Station will be more convenient for us?

Noted on Bondi Beach. Can we go swimming pa kaya in autumn or spring? Or water will be too cold na by then?

Also, comparable ba yung autumn and spring season ng Sydney to that of Seoul and Tokyo? Or less colder (like Baguio weather lang?)? Have been to Korea and Japan na at those times and the weather was just awesome.

[travelling_daisy]

^^ sis rocky, grabe ang mura ng ticket na nakuha mo. Sana may makuha din akong ganyang price.
I did mock booking and the prices are way too steep! I checked Singapore Airlines, PAL and CebuPac.     Around P18k to P33k ang range na nakita ko... hopefully they will launch promo fares para maka-book ako.

Oh, 6 months lang pala ang validity ng visa and 2 months before intended departure date lang pwede mag-apply?  Maybe I will take the risk of booking flights na lang should I found one before lodging our visa applications. Haha...

Thanks for your feedback also about Taronga Zoo... malaki nga daw sya and di makapag-interact with the animals except when you pay for it. We might just go with Featherdale then.

Pahingi din ako sis suggestions on where to eat and what pasalubongs to buy (aside from the Tim Tams, hehe)...

Thanks!

[rocky]

^pods snickers, violet crumble, cheese. mura don cotton on & pandora

[travelling_daisy]

^Noted on that, sis rocky!
Thanks so much for taking time to answer my queries and for your inputs.