Sydney 3-Day Itinerary: Day One

3 Day Itinerary in Sydney

Read Day 2 here

Read Day 3 here

Sydney destinations

Day 1

We arrived in Sydney on New Year�s Eve (December 31st) in the afternoon. The first thing we did after landing was buy a SIM card at the airport. Optus� $2 days prepaid SIM card includes 500mb per day, unlimited local calling, and unlimited local SMS and MMS all for $2 per day. Grocery stores like Woolsworths conveniently sold top up cards. We bought $20 worth for the SIM card and had the luxury of searching up maps for travelling throughout the trip in Australia.

Somehow when we booked our flights we overlooked that NYE in Sydney will be packed so the accommodation that we managed to get for a decent price was close to the airport but further from the city centre.

We stayed at the AEA Executive Apartments for three nights and had no problems with it despite the mixed reviews online. The apartment was big and reasonably clean, front desk was helpful, and there was a washing machine which was very useful. The stove top did not work but it wasn't a huge problem for us since we did not cook. 

AEA Executive Apartments

After we checked-in to AEA we headed to the city. Bus stops are conveniently located across the street and either the 309 or 310 took us directly to the CBD in less than half an hour. To check bus times text the bus stop number to 0488 TXT BUS (0488 898 287).

Since it was NYE there was a special bus ticket for unlimited travel from 15:00 Dec 31 to 12:00 Jan 1 for $6. Check out this website for more information about NYE in Sydney. We alighted on Liverpool St and slowly made our way to Chinatown for dinner with friends. Chinatown is quite clean and vibrant with restaurant businesses in the newer part. There are cuisines from all over Asia, not just Chinese food and seem to be quite popular among the younger generation.

Market City at Chinatown

Darling Harbour is a close walk from Chinatown. We waited for the 9:00pm fireworks which were beautiful but the crowd was not friendly at all. There was a lot of pushing, cutting queue, and complaints about prams even though this was a family event. Honestly the wait for and during the fireworks was one of the most unpleasant experiences in Sydney. Even though the fireworks could be clearly seen from the sky, people still felt the need to push until they were at the front. They were clearly not people who lined up hours ahead to get a good spot but ones who came last minute and wanted to push their way forward. 

One time we turned around to ask the rude couple behind us to stop pushing as there was no more room for us to move forward anyways but they replied rudely that if we are not used to pushing then don�t leave the house!

NYE fireworks

After the Darling Harbour fireworks we did not want to experience the exhaustion of being pushed around again so we didn�t join the crowds to see the famous midnight Sydney NYE fireworks. We saw them on the TV back at the apartment which was beautiful but I don�t think I would�ve enjoyed it if I had been pushed for hours beforehand.

Darling Harbour

That�s the end of day one in Sydney!

Read Day 2 here

Read Day 3 here

Sydney 3-Day Itinerary: Day Two

3 Day Itinerary in Sydney

Read Day 1 here

Read Day 3 here

Day 2

Although we were sightseeing the whole day I opted not to buy the MyMulti Day Pass (AUD$21) because many of the locations were within walking distance and the CBD area has free shuttle buses in the daytime.

Went to the Sydney Opera House today!

If you are interested in learning more about the MyMulti passes look at this website. I found the Sydney transit websites difficult to navigate to find the information I need. For example the bus fares are divided into sections but there is no easy way to calculate how many sections you will have to travel and therefore pay for the fare. I asked the man who sold the MyBus fares and even he told me that he just guessed.

Bus fare prices from Sydney website

From last night we still had our unlimited bus fare until 12:00pm so we used that to get to the CBD in the morning. We alighted at Liverpool St again and walked through the park across the street which houses The Pool of Reflections and the Archibald Fountain. Since it was summer weather, the trees provided a nice breezy walk until we reached St. Mary�s Cathedral.

St. Mary's Cathedral

We made our way along Art Gallery Rd to the Art Gallery of New South Wales (NSW). It is open 10am to 5pm with free general admission. The gallery is elegantly built on the outside and a few floors high. There are classical and modern exhibits free for browsing.

Art Gallery of NSW

Then we walked to the Royal Botanic Gardens which is open 7am to 8pm and has free admission. The gardens was made of more greens than colourful flowers but still amusing to see since the plant species were ones that we didn�t have back home.

Royal Botanic Gardens

There are helpful signs in the gardens that point you to the direction of Mrs. Macquarie�s Point. This place had the best view of the famous Sydney Opera House since it is directly across from it on the harbour. The walk towards the point was also beautiful. We took a lot of photos here!

Panorama from Mrs. Macquarie's Point

From Mrs. Macquarie�s Point to the Opera House took about an 18 minute walk. Despite being New Year�s Day and a public holiday there were lots of people at this tourist destination. 

Sydney Opera House and I

It was another close walk to Circular Quay where the ferry terminal to Manly Beach is. We checked the departure time then grabbed lunch before returning to buy our tickets. Normally there are peak and non-peak hour prices but since it was a holiday it was a flat rate for all hours. 

Circular Quay ferry terminal

The ferry took about 25 minutes and upon alighting we were greeted by a tourist villa. There were shops and restaurants along the walk to the beach with everyone in beachwear ready to soak up the sun. The beach was crowded with bodies sunbathing and swimming in the water.

Manly Beach

We took the ferry back to Circular Quay and walked to The Rocks which is right next to it. There were quaint shops and restaurants here but we didn�t stay here long because we had nothing to buy and it wasn�t meal time yet.

The Rocks

For dinner we headed back to Chinatown because I saw a long queue in front of Mamak yesterday and after searching it up on Urbanspoon, I found that it was one of the top restaurants in Sydney! The free shuttle bus 555 is located across the street from the ferry terminal and we took it to get to Chinatown. Walking is possible but it may take around 20 minutes. Even at 5:30pm we had to wait about 15 minutes before we were seated but the food was pretty delicious. 

Dinner at Mamak

Bus fares are not sold on board buses that leave from the CBD so we went into a 7Eleven and bought bus fares for the way back to the hotel (AUD$3.60).

With careful planning there is no need to buy the MyMulti Day Pass for $21. Excluding the Manly ferry ride - which is not included in the Day Pass either - the entire day�s bus fare only cost us $3.60 each. Even if we did not have the NYE ticket the evening before, it would�ve only cost $7.20 each. However on Day 3 we bought the Day Pass so read on to compare!

Read Day 1 here

Read Day 3 here

Sydney 3-Day Itinerary: Day Three

3 Day Itinerary in Sydney

Read Day 1 here

Read Day 2 here

Day 3

Today we bought the MyMulti Day Pass for AUD$21 each because we were taking the bus more frequently today and we also wanted to try the train across Harbour Bridge.

We took the bus to the city and alighted on Elizabeth St at Liverpool St. We walked across the street and took the 380 bus towards North Bondi. You can also take the 333 bus and both cost AUD$4.60 one way. There is also another option of taking the train near to Bondi then wait for the 333/380 to transfer to the beach. The train method is supposedly faster but since Bondi Beach is so popular, there was a long queue at the bus interchange when our bus arrived to pick up the train passengers. Factoring in the queuing time, getting on the bus on Elizabeth St did not take much longer and we had a seat the whole way.

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach is very long and quite commercial. There are many shops and restaurants along and further back from the beach. There were signs that said the beach had free WiFi but when I tried to log in, it didn�t work. Since I�m not much of a sunbather, one hour at Bondi was enough but if you wanted to play water sports you could spend a good amount of time here.

Sydney Fish Market

Seafood Plate

We took the bus back to the train station area and took the train to Museum Station. It was about a 10-15 minute walk to the Sydney Fish Market where a lot of seafood is sold. There is an indoor street with stores upon stores of seafood vendors selling their food to you. Every table seemed to be occupied by people and the noise level was very high. I have been to other busy fish markets before but I found this one very overwhelming since I had no idea what to choose and couldn't find a space to sit down and eat it even if I did choose. We ended up trying an oyster and shrimp plate which was pretty fresh but not anything spectacular. If you would like to experience a busy seafood environment then go to the fish market for a look! Perhaps I was just hungry so I felt more overwhelmed.

Darling Harbour

Hurricane Grill

After the Fish Market we walked towards Darling Harbour because the bus would have taken longer. The trek was about another 15-18 minutes. We ate a proper lunch at Hurricane Grill which overlooks the harbour and served delicious lamb ribs! I really enjoyed my meal here.

Queen Victoria Building

From Darling Harbour we took a bus to the Queen Victoria Building. Walking would only take 15 minutes from the harbour but since we had a Day Pass, we used it. The QVB is currently a shopping mall but its architecture is old and beautiful inside and out. There were many tourists there not to shop but to observe. Remember to look up at the exquisite clocks hanging from the ceiling!

Sydney Tower Eye

A 5 minute walk from the QVB is Westfield Sydney which is a shopping mall at the base of the Sydney Tower Eye. We didn�t go up since it was raining so the view would not have been great anyways. We ended up at the Westfield food court which is a very nice one. Food is served above food court quality here and everyone seemed to enjoy their dining experience. I�d recommend having lunch here if you�re in the area.

Sydney train

Lastly we took the train for a few stops across the Harbour Bridge and back since the train tracks were adjacent to the vehicle lanes on the bridge. It offered a decent view of the harbour and Opera House from above but there was a wired fence so decent pictures can�t be captured. Nonetheless, we used our Day Pass to the fullest!

Read Day 1 here

Read Day 2 here

Disney Tag

I've been to three Disneylands (California, Florida and Hong Kong) so I think it will be fun to do this Disney Tag!

California Adventure - Source: www.chipandco.com

1. A scene in any Disney movie you wish you could experience?
I think I would want to experience the scene in Enchanted where Giselle falls through the hole and transitions from the cartoon world to the real one. Changing from 2D to 3D must feel pretty cool and all the confusion of entering a completely different world should be nervewracking but adventurous!

2. An unforgettable experience or moment you've had at the parks?
My most vivid memory at Disney's California Adventure was riding the big roller coaster. It was my first time on a roller coaster that looped upside down and I still remember how exciting and exhilarating it felt.

3. What non-Disney song(s) reminds you or brings back memories of Disney?
Britney Spear's Oops I Did It Again because that was the song we sang during the roadtrip to Disney. It was probably also the first Britney song I learned back when she was the pop princess.

4. When was the first time you went to a Disney Park?
My first time was when I was 8 years old and we went to California's Disneyland. It was spring break and I got to enjoy the park with new friends I made on the roadtrip. Everything made me go "wow."

5. If you could choose any of the characters to be your best friend, who would you choose?
Technically this isn't a Disney character but Disney produced the English version of the movie so I would choose Totoro because I can't choose any other character! I'd also love to know the entire crew of Toy Story too because I grew up with those movies.

6. Who are your favourite Disney princesses?
When I was younger I really liked Cinderella because of her dress.

7. Name a scene or moment in any Disney movie that never fails to make you cry?
I wouldn't say that it makes me cry but the scene where Simba's dad dies in Lion King is pretty sad.

8. What is the first Disney movie you remember seeing?
I had a Mickey Mouse version of Jack and the Beanstalk on videotape and I would watch it over and over. I still remember that the videotape was purple instead of the usual black.

9. What is your favourite Disney movie?
This is hard to choose but probably Toy Story.

Those are all the questions for today and hopefully I can keep up with weekly blogging.

Take care,

Childhood Friendships

Last week, family friends from Oregon came to visit. I've known the older sister since we were both babies and I watched their mom pregnant with the younger sister all the way through her birth and growth. In other words, I've known them for a long time. Although we live in different places, our families have been able to keep in touch all these years which I hope to do with the new friends I meet all over the world.

Caramel macaron, hazelnut macaron, lemon tart

It is weird growing up with friends from the early years of childhood. When you're young, you become best friends with someone almost instantly and you can be entertained for hours with imaginary games or secret handshakes.

Yet as you grow older, if you don't get to spend much time together, that instant bond as a child will start to take longer and longer. You do not pick up instantly from where you left off the last time you saw each other because you are leading different lives and have different interests. I find myself having to use more effort to think of common topics that we can all talk about because I realize that I don't actually know that much about them despite the years of friendship. This isn't just with my Oregon friends but with other childhood friends as well.

Anywho, as I grow older I appreciate each friendship more and so I want to give in more effort to keep in touch because you never know when you will see them again. As grim as it sounds, my parents have childhood friends who have passed away well before they reached old age. Life is unexpected, so make the most of it.

L to R: Jacquie, Me, Joycie

Take care,

Toronto & Waterloo: 6 Days

It has been exactly one month since I've blogged here! I guess I just needed a small break after blogging for 60 days straight but I'm back now and aiming to post regularly. 

About a week after I returned from Taiwan, I went to Toronto July 19th to 24th for a conference. I took a red eye flight which was a bad idea since I am the type of person who can't fall asleep on planes (not even long haul flights), so I was extremely tired when I arrived in Toronto.

Beautiful view from flight. Photo credit: Best U.

Let's Go!

Fortunately the transport system from Toronto Pearson International Airport to downtown was inexpensive and convenient. It only cost CAD$3 to take a bus then the subway to the city.

Queen's Park subway station. Photo credit: Best U.

Right after we dropped off our luggage, I took a much needed hour nap and then I was energized to explore the city before the conference began in the evening! We went to eat brunch at Over Easy which was delicious then to St. Lawrence Market where I wished I didn't have such a large breakfast at Over Easy so that I could eat more at the market. The weather was absolutely gorgeous as you can see in my unedited photo below.

St. Lawrence Market

I really enjoyed how there is a mix of well preserved old buildings in between modern buildings all around Toronto. We stopped for gelato at The Distillery and walked through small boutiques in the area.

The Distillery

I think I enjoyed the walk along Lake Shore Blvd most because I love the water and it was breezier there on the hot summer day. It is also a great place to see the famous CN Tower, although with its height you can pretty much see it from anywhere in the city.

Lake Shore Blvd

The Union Station was quite pretty but there was a large portion boarded up for renovation. That is the trouble with travelling in the summer: construction! When I was in Quebec last year, half the parliament building was undergoing renovations which certainly didn't make for nice photos.

Union Station

Day 1 to 3

Friday evening to Sunday evening was spent at the conference where I met many new people, especially the ones I will be working virtually with over the next half a year! I love Canada but sometimes I do think that our country is too wide. My teammates are from all over the country and I don't know when will be the next time I get to see them in person due to distance.

Cool teammates :)

Day 4

After the conference ended I decided to stay behind for three more days. Monday afternoon I took the Greyhound to Waterloo to visit high school friends. I don't remember when was the last time I took a Greyhound but I'm glad to say that my ride went smoothly.

There wasn't much to do around the city so they just took me to the downtown area to eat then walk around the city hall and to the University of Waterloo. I visited more than a handful of university campuses this summer and it really changed what I used to imagine universities to be like.

Waterloo City Hall

On University of Waterloo campus

Day 5

In the morning I took the Greyhound back to Toronto for another day of city touring. We went to Centre Island which required a short ferry ride to get to. As a tourist, the ferry ride is worth taking because it offers a great view of the city.

Centre Island Ferry

There were lots of activities suitable for younger children on the island including small amusement park rides, large park areas, paddle boats, beaches and a petting zoo. I heard there's also a nude beach which isn't necessarily child friendly.

This pig at the zoo area is definitely the largest pig I've ever seen. It is probably the size of a small pony!

Pig at Centre Island

Back in the city we lined up for 15 minutes at the Magnum pop up shop for the famous luxury ice cream bars. I'm glad that I came to Toronto when they had the store open because it was really delicious! Of course, I got the macaron topping because I love macarons.

Magnum

After this photo a small story happened to my ice cream bar (my bar is the one on the bottom). The ice cream bar is dipped in chocolate so naturally the chocolate would stick to the cardboard box holding the bar. My macaron piece was sitting delicately on top of my bar and I used a little too much force to peal the bar off the box to eat, resulting in my macaron piece catapulting across the table onto the floor before I even had a bite! That was a little sad but oh well, the rest of the bar still tasted good :)

Magnum bars

In the evening, we went to Korea Town on Bloor Street for dinner then to a cafe called Snakes and Lattes to play board games. For $5 we could play the shelves and shelves of board games all night, pretty good deal.

Day 6

My last day in Toronto, I visited the downtown University of Toronto campus. It is so integrated into downtown that sometimes it is confusing which part is downtown and which part is the university. Regardless, it is a beautiful campus.

U of T

U of T Library

By early evening I was back at the airport for my flight home. This trip was short but sweet. In years to come I may not remember the names of the landmarks I went to but I certainly will remember how I felt while here: happy :)

Take care,

Taiwan Day 60: Last Day

Day Sixty

July 10 - Finally the last day in Taiwan and the end of an 8 week adventure. Looking back, the very first week of being in Taiwan I didn't think that I would miss the place that much when I left. Now that has changed 360 degrees and I miss Taiwan very much because of the people I met there and the memories we created together.

Hui Chee and I had flights within half hour of each other in the afternoon so a lot of our friends came to where we lived at 9am to have farewell breakfast with us! Throughout the meal I was happy to get another chance to see them but also a little down because I knew the goodbye was coming soon.

Last breakfast together

Back at our homestay family's house we took photos and left the house 40 minutes later than the planned time. Five minutes before getting into the car, we all hugged each other goodbye and that was when I cried. I've never cried that quickly before but the surge of emotion looking around at these people that I might not see again (or at least soon) made me sad.

Friends <3

For Hui Chee and I, we had similar experiences in Taiwan because we were always together. In the beginning there were three of us (HC, Olivia and I) then came a fun fourth person, Darm to join our project. Although the project didn't go smoothly, we thought that we at least had each other. Then due to different circumstances both Olivia and Darm had to leave Taiwan, leaving HC and I. 

It was a little bit lonely those 2-3 weeks where it was mostly just us two but boy was I glad to have her around. We made the most of it and had a fabulous trip around the island. Thanks roomie!

Our experience in Taiwan went up bit by bit when week 5-6 came starting with the arrival of Elvira, then an entire group of new friends from all over Asia (Angeline, Tommy, Leanne, Suvda, Jin Yee, Jackie). We started off mediocre, fell to a low and reached a peak up till the day we left on July 10th. What awesome people to have met before we left Taiwan!

The local Taiwanese friends Derek, Sonia, June, William and Lut who came to say farewell also made us feel welcomed in Taiwan.

Waving goodbye to our car

Our homestay auntie and uncle drove us to the airport. Thank you for letting us live with you for 60 days, giving us good food and taking us around Taipei! 

Homestay auntie and uncle

The plane ride home was very long and a little stressful because I only had 15 minutes to transfer flights and pass through security! But with some running and the help of a Cathay staff, I made it :)

Aerial view of Hong Kong

Gratitude and appreciation for everything I learned, experienced and felt in Taiwan. This has been the longest I've stayed in Asia and I'm glad it was here.

Take care,