So, my friend Adelyne wrote this about our trip to Australia… I thought it was really funny to hear the same stories I’ve told but from her point of view. So anyway. Blue comments are mine 🙂

The irony of going on holiday when you’re an employed person is that even though you have the spending power, you don’t have the time. My Aussie holiday was 4 months of planning, but only took a fraction of that time – 7 days is too short! Ah Aussie, there’s so much to love about you.

After the harrowing trauma Qantas put me through for a week before the trip, I finally managed to get my butt on the plane to Melbourne, bar the minor scare when they put me on Emirates at the last min. The flight back from Sydney was so much better though. I got to sit the A380! Bigger seats, smoother flight, decent food. Small note: every airline should give you a bottle of water at the beginning of the flight. That’ll save you from the risk of dehydration and the pain of having to call the flight attendant frequently for a small cup of water. Story of my life! Singapore Air and Qatar Airways were excellent — they made the rounds with water almost continuously the entire 8 hour flights… However, on Continental/United, I found myself constantly getting up to ask for water – which I usually downed in one giant swig. And kudos for the awesome hot choc/peppermint tea after the meal.

Melbourne is a charming city! I really love the awesome cafes (didn’t get to try all the recommended ones though), and laidback and chill atmosphere going on there. The cafe’s ARE excellent… imagine your favorite local coffee shop (NOT Starbucks), and then imagine they serve full breakfast there. So you can order coffee with eggs and toast… or an omelet… or musli with yougart. Excellent.. Or maybe it’s just the abundance of fabulous coffee – my first cup at St Kilda really cemented my love for Melbourne haha. Starbucks should seriously just close down. The coffee really IS excellent… They always make sweet designs in your lattes!

When I’m travelling, I’m most at my element when I can just wander around streets aimlessly and stop at interesting places at my own leisure. This is why I prefer cities to the countryside (more on that later), cuz somehow they allow you the pleasure of anonymity cuz you can just blend in with the other faces and pretend you’re a local. Although of cuz that illusion fades once you whip out your camera and that clueless tourist expression comes out. So yeah on the first day, it was fun just wandering around St Kilda (although it was swarming with tourists), (I was sleeping at our hotel the entire first day :P)hanging out a friend’s place watching TV and eating fish & chips. Even shopping was fun, like on Thurs when we discovered this really cool vintage camera shop (owned by the old Cantonese lady) and got some cool stationery. I sound like a loser but I guess I really just like the normal-ity of it and how regular it feels even though it’s no diff from hanging out at home haha.

But anyway, I did go out of the city and we rented a car for the Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island. Driving was an experience, esp for someone like me who only drives once a week in Singapore. So imagine my horror when I realized I was gonna be the only driver cuz Lauren’s license expired (oops… I kept intending to get it renewed, but then my car broke down and I couldn’t drive anywhere for a while, and then it was time to pack and i completely didn’t realize the urgency because I COMPLETELY forgot about the fact that you need a valid license to rent a car — don’t worry — I did end up driving some on the 3rd day). But it all went swellingly well haha. The Great Ocean Road was windy but there were barriers in case I careened off into the ocean so it wasn’t as dangerous as I’d thought haha. And this is the first time I drove for 3 hours at a stretch! Those “sleep and you die” signs helped too. (But seriously — a LOT of those) Our little Toyota Yaris was also really easy to drive, but I guess anything’s better than my magic school bus at home haha. Oh and I managed to parallel park on the first try! (It was truly excellent! However, the 2nd time was not such a charm :P) and mastered that uniquely Melbourne creature that is the hook turn (after I got honked at) 😀 (Haha. I forgot about this. It was awesome. We were both a little at a loss.)

The Great Ocean Road had really superb views, and thankfully we had very good weather that day 🙂 All blue blue sky, with the blue blue ocean. I would’ve liked to spend more time just sitting there admiring the scenery but regretfully we had to go. But at least we got to see the Twelve Apostles (only seven left). I think I’ll move here after I retire, or after I marry a rich guy, whichever comes first haha.

Phillip Island was another treat, this time for its wildlife. We got to meet koala bears, kangaroos, wallabies and plenty of obnoxious peacocks and horny seagulls. And oh yeah, the famous Penguin Parade. Those little penguins are “aw shucks” cuteeee waddling up the beach. And they’re soooo many of them – like 1516 or something the night we were there. Fun fact: female penguins select males by the burrows they’ve built (there’s an open house too) and by how fat they are. We need to implement this system among humans. Boys should absolutely come with houses, cuz I can’t afford them. (Hilarious). So we saw the cute wildlife, and thankfully didn’t meet any of the bazillion other dangerous creatures Australia is famous for haha.

And here’s why I don’t like the countryside as much as I enjoy the scenic landscape. I just don’t enjoy living there. We stayed at this (tiny) cabin (with a creepy extra bedroom the size of a closet that had just enough room to smash in a 3 level bunk bed) on Phillip Island that came with plenty of spooks. Actually it’s all our active imagination but I think the countryside quiet contributed a lot too. It’s so quiet it’s deafening. And it amplifies all those little noises that you hear all around you but have absolutely no idea where it’s coming from. (We kept trying to convince ourselves that they HAD to be a tree leaning against our cabins that was making those eerie noises…[there wasn’t a tree]) So basically we lay in our bed, scaring ourselves sleepless (or more like, Lauren poked me awake at every bump in the night). (Except that I was only jokingly scared until you said that one thing…! And then I legitimately was afraid to even put out the lights!) And we missed our surfing lesson the next morn! 😦 But yeah looking back, it’s actually pretty hilarious. At least now we’ve established the fact that I’m strictly a city girl. (And the fact that I’m a scaredy-cat).

Yarra Valley was ok, a little meh though the tour at Domaine Chandon was quite educational. I think the drive there was more interesting. We were basically driving through the forest – like small windy road flanked by tall tall trees with bits of light peeking through, and no phone reception. It was fun, but after a while I was ready for concrete highway haha. (Haha, cuz I was secretly hoping our dirt road adventure was gonna last a little longer). Oops, there goes my city girl side again haha.

Speaking of phones, I dunno if it’s a curse that I’m so reliant on being connected. I mean, it was great to be able to whatsapp, use Google Maps, upload FB photos and google anything on the go. But isn’t a holiday meant for you to disconnect from everyone else? But yet, I don’t wanna miss anything while I’m gone! I bet my parents had better, more relaxing holidays in their time. I blame it on the iPhone haha. (So true. But on my side of the fence, I didn’t have good use of my phone for like 3 weeks, and rather than feeling rested and escaped, I felt stressed that I had no contact with the outside world).

So, Sydney. Can I just say that free walking tours are the best idea ever to promote tourism?? (Completely agree. Best 2 tours ever were in Sydney and Berlin — both free walking tours –> and that’s a lot coming from a person who can’t stand organized tours of any sort). You pay the guide in tips that you think he deserves and in return you get really educational insider knowledge of the city. (But yeah, we probably won’t be able to sustain this in Singapore. We’re too cheap, and it’s hard to find someone who’s willing to work for peanuts. (I think they actually can make a lot of money sometimes).) Anyway we looked at old buildings and heard interesting stories. Then dropped out to take the ferry to Manly, mainly to enjoy the view of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and get a tan at the same time.(Haha I forgot we quit halfway). If I ever return to Sydney I’d really wanna visit Manly Beach.

This time we only went to Bondi, initially with the intention to do the coastal walk to Coogee. But those plans went out the window the moment we saw the pristine beaches, blue blue surf, and the warm warm sun. And also peer pressure, from those hundreds of other pple just laying there. I felt overdressed in my tshirt so we went and bought bikinis and just splayed out on the beach until it got too cold haha. Best change of plans, ever. (Yes, without a doubt, best change of plans EVER. And I’m not even a beach person). Though I didn’t get the tan I wanted (my right side is darker from the time on the ferry) haha. (It was funny. And I ended up with just one REALLY burnt leg.)

At night, we decided to act atas and dress up (sans makeup for me) to go up to this bar in Sydney Tower. (Totally worth it). Note to self: I really need to remember to bring a proper dress with makeup the next time I travel. I felt so inadequate in that classy place haha. But anyway, the drinks were expensiiiveee. (Really expensive. And WAY too strong). And I didn’t even finish it! Thanks to the 3 diff vodkas in it, I was already tipsy and super flushed a quarter into my drink. I’m such a lightweight haha. But oh well, it’s nice to pretend to be rich and classy occasionally. You only live once right.

Oh also, can I just state that I never wanna stay in hostels again? They’re cheap, yes, but I would very much prefer clean (and private) bathrooms, and some quiet at night. I think I’m getting too old for communal living and finding bras outside when I leave in the morn. (Omg did you find a bra outside at The Elephant Backpack after I left?… and anyway, I completely agree. We’re too mature for hostels… I walked past some french guys who may or may not have tried to ‘pick me up’… I COMPLETELY ignored them — and one of them SPIT a giant lugie right the the bottom of the stairs INSIDE THE BUILDING where I was about to walk). WHAAAA???) And also, at the time we would go to sleep, everyone else seemed to be just heading out for the night around then. I felt so old.

All in all, I’ll really miss the charm and laidback-ness of Australia and its people (many many good-lookers over there, gosh those BLUE EYES haha). (It’s really true. I don’t usually have giddy wandering eyes by any means, but there are some nice-looking people in Australia). That said, I think this trip wasn’t long enough and I’d definitely go back soon for more! (Me too). For now, I’m thoroughly exhausted and totally NOT ready for work 😦 Though I can say that I do feel more refreshed emotionally and spiritually. And well, I still have a few more days of leave to clear so that’s something to look forward to haha.