The Short and Sweet Whirlwind Trip: Sydney 2012
This is the year of weddings. Destination weddings, to be precise! We attended one in the States earlier this year, and had just gotten back from attending another one in Australia. Whew! That broke this year's travel budget into tiny little pieces, I'll tell you that. But it was worth it, as both brides were very close and important people to me at different points in my life, and also because both trips allowed us to visit relatives and friends we don't get to see as often as we like. Also, on both trips, Mike and I got to show each other places we've travelled to before, while the other was there for the first time. Mike showed me the US, took me to places he liked, told me stories of his earlier trips, and we both got to discover new places together. The very same thing happened in Australia, as I had been there before, and it was my turn to show him around.
Unfortunately, because we had already traveled earlier this year, we weren't able to spend quite as much time in Australia as we did in the States. I really wished we could have swung by Melbourne to see my cousins there, and also because I had never been there before, but the time constraint made it... not impossible, but more of impractical. It would mean we would be spending more time on the road/plane/airport than actually experiencing Australia. But never mind, we will definitely return, and next time with children cause we just know our kids will love it there, especially with so many second cousins their age.
Also now I think I've gotten the hang of travelling to visit people, just like we did in the US. And it turns out, we know LOTS of people in Australia, not just my relatives, who have gone forth and multiplied over the years, but friends! There were so many, we forgot some until it was too late to meet up. Sayang. Next time, we'll do better at meeting up with friends. So many next times. As Mike and I collected so many "next times" throughout the trip at things we wished we had time to do, our Next trip may have to be over a month long. Hahaha!
Day 1: We flew to Singapore and had a 9 hour layover before we could get on our budget flight to Sydney. Somehow I managed to override Mike's preference of staying in the airport all day and convinced him to go to the Marina Bay Sands. I've been so curious about it since Les and Jogo's honeymoon, and saw the features about it on TV. We had dinner (err, light snack) up at the Sky on 57 restaurant. This pic is the view from up there. Then we went down to the ArtScience museum (it's that bowl-shaped building on the lower left) and saw the Lego exhibit. Well worth the cab rides in and out of the airport!
Day 2: After an 8 hour flight from Singapore, we finally arrived in Sydney! Tita Bing and Tito Tabi fetched us from the airport and brought us to their home in St. Clair. We unpacked and rested indoors because there was a heatwave and it was too hot outside. Soon the weather cooled down enough and it was time to go to Harry's Cafe de Wheels for meatpies with Ate Nikki, Kuya Ian and their families. The pies were so good, I forgot to take photos! After that we did some aqua golf (I hit Ariel!) then headed home to rest and relax.
Day 3: Jetlagged, we woke up late. But we joined Tita Bing and Tito Tabi at a relative's kid's baptism lunch. Eat all you can. Haha! Then back home for more resting and relaxing. I kept asking Tita Bing to let me help her prepare dinner, but she wouldn't let me! I ended up eating most of the grapes, during kwentuhan as she did the cooking.
Finally, at 5, our friends arrived! My college friends, Sarah, Dondi, Emman and Regan, whom I haven't seen in years, plus their girlfriends, Gianna and Nikki. It was so great to hang out with them again. It felt like we're back in the ICTUS tambayan. And I think they enjoyed getting to eat pancit and lumpia again, which Tita Bing and Ate Nikki prepared. Also if they had gotten Tito Tabi just a leeetle more drunk, he might have let them ride his motorcycle around the block a couple of times. Haha! Ate Nikki and Kuya Ian's whole families were there, and so was Nez, Ate Ayit's friend whom I hung out with when she came to the Philippines 10 years ago, so she's now my friend too. I was so glad that my friends in Oz now know my family in Oz. Perhaps eventually, they'll consider my family their family too.
Day 4: Finally, on our first touring day, it rained! Akala ko ba heatwave?! We were so unprepared we had to buy umbrellas after we got off at the Town Hall station. At Darling Harbour, we had lunch in the food court (cheap food. yes!) and when we emerged, the rain had stopped. We then went to Sea Life Sydney Aquarium where we oggled at the marine wildlife. After that, we took a ferry to Circular Quay. I took this photo from the Luna Park stop. At Circular Quay, we walked around, took photos and windowshopped until it was time to meet Brenda at the Opera Bar. We ate and drank until it was time to head home. Took the wrong train and got home an hour later than planned. Buti na lang Tito Tabs was nice about etching us from the station so late.
Day5: Zoo Day! When the twins and I came here 13 years ago, it was cold and raining and miserable. This time it was sunny and nice and free! Thanks to Dondi! Even Shiva and her entourage, Chat, Lara and Mark benefited from the zoo passes. Which was why we were willing to pay $5 each to have our photo "officially" taken right beside this poor stoned koala named Darwin. We walked up and down and all around, saw all the animals, free and caged, until our feet were about ready to give beneath us. When we gt back to Circular Quay, we decided to have some beer and sausages at Lowenbrau, at the Rocks. After that, we parted ways and Mike and I headed back to Darling Harbour, again by ferry, to rest at Emman and Gianna's flat (They let us stay there overnight because they were away. My friends are awesome!) until it was time to go out again.
We met up again with Brenda and Regan later that night for drinks and kwentuhan and dancing and whiskey and the Rashomon moment and escape from tall drunk lady. It was epic. No photos will end up on the internet.
Day 6: Supposed to be Bondi Beach Day but after the night of drunken debauchery, I'm afraid I woke up at noon. So we decided it would be shopping day instead. From E&G's flat, we got a day pass on the monorail and headed for Paddy's Market for bargain souvenirs. Mike complained of a stomach ache so he soon headed back to the flat and left me to explore Haymarket and Chinatown by myself. When I ran out of money (hehe) I headed back and we packed up to go back to St. Clair.
When we got back to Tita Bing's house, she had a giant turkey adobo waiting for us. We really felt the love! The drumstick was as long as my arm.
Day 7: Canberra Day. Tito Tabi drove us all the way to the Capital. We stopped by Goulburn to see The Big Merino (look it up. Mike thought it was a ship. It isn't.). At Canberra we went around the Australian War Memorial (above) and the Parliament Building (below). Mike kept saying it was all very modern, especially compared to Westminster, but we both think it was nice.
On the way back to St. Clair we stopped by a wake (Tito Tabs' friend had died recently. Parang States ulit.) and then headed on to Kuya Ian's house where we had dinner. It was so nice to hang out with noisy kulit children again! Clarissa reminds me of Desi, as she talks nonstop. Jerome asks a lot of questions, just like Lia. I can't wait for them to get to hang out together. And Ate Cindy prepared an excellent meal. I didn't want to stop eating! Great kwentuhan and great food.
Day 8: Wedding day! Tito Tabi and Tita Bing drove us all the way to Terrigal for Shiva's wedding. We got there at around lunch time, so we had lunch at the park where Shiva was the get married that afternoon. This photo is the view from the deck on which the ceremony was performed. It was very short, simple and personal. I did a reading and managed not to botch it. Haha! The weather was cloudy again, which is not the best sky for photos, but it meant we weren't roasting in the sun. And it wasn't too windy so we weren't cold either. After the wedding ceremony, we hung out with Maita and Myrfi, who were also in Australia all that week but we didn't get to meet up with them till the wedding.
The reception was one of the funnest wedding receptions I have ever been to, partly because of Afro Moses, who is from Ghana but plays reggae, and partly because Shiva and Zac's guests DANCE. I danced so much I had to remove my shoes and go barefoot cause my feet started to ache. Stars of the show, Zac's two lolas, at 83 and 93, shaking their booty like nobody's business. They were awesome! It was a fun and memorable night.
Day 9: We went for lunch at Zac's parents' house in Wamberal, this time Tita Bing and Tito Tabi joined us and they finally got to meet Zac and Shiva. We also met Shiva's other relatives who live in Australia and they had common friends with my relatives, whodathunk? It was such a nice day to just hang out in the yard, under the tree, eat cheese and crackers and joke around with friends, old and new, as well as get to know Shiva's new Ford family better. Unfortunately, we had to leave before the sausages were cooked because we were expecting a plumber back in St. Clair.
That evening, a group of Filipino carolers came and sang. Way to get into the Christmas spirit! Fun too to hear Filipino songs over there. Ate Nikki, Kuya Dennis and their children came for dinner and we ate and talked late into the night, chismis and kwentuhan and planning for their big trip to the Philippines next year.
Day 10: After brekkie, Tito Tabs and Tita Bing brought us to the airport and this time we were an hour early for check in. It was a looong trip home, this time with just a 4 hour layover in Singapore, so no time to go out to see the City. We were too tired anyway. I slept a bit before boarding. And as we got closer and closer to home, I felt less and less bitin, and more and more eager to hug my kids again.
It was really really fun, for many different reasons. But mostly for me, because of the people we got to spend time with over there. I had been to most of the places Mike and I toured around in. Although it was a much different experience than travelling with my brothers 13 years ago, this time, I not only got to reconnect with my Aunt and Uncle (actually, Tito Tabi is our ninong sa kasal, so it was good to hear his stories about migrating to Australia) and cousins and pamangkins, I got to hang out with old friends and I got to make new ones, Everyone we visited in Sydney (even my cousins whom we weren't able to visit) were super nice and generous to us, with their homes, time, money, food, wifi, apartment, zoo passes, knowledge of secret whiskey dives... we felt very very welcomed and taken cared of. Plus in this trip I think I danced and drank the most, out of all our other trips. But I managed not to make (too much of) a fool of myself, so it was all good!
Thanks to everyone who took us in and gave us stuff! And especially thanks to Shiva and Zac for inviting us, making us part of your special day, and making this whole trip a reality. Best wishes and we hope to visit you again sooon!
Unfortunately, because we had already traveled earlier this year, we weren't able to spend quite as much time in Australia as we did in the States. I really wished we could have swung by Melbourne to see my cousins there, and also because I had never been there before, but the time constraint made it... not impossible, but more of impractical. It would mean we would be spending more time on the road/plane/airport than actually experiencing Australia. But never mind, we will definitely return, and next time with children cause we just know our kids will love it there, especially with so many second cousins their age.
Also now I think I've gotten the hang of travelling to visit people, just like we did in the US. And it turns out, we know LOTS of people in Australia, not just my relatives, who have gone forth and multiplied over the years, but friends! There were so many, we forgot some until it was too late to meet up. Sayang. Next time, we'll do better at meeting up with friends. So many next times. As Mike and I collected so many "next times" throughout the trip at things we wished we had time to do, our Next trip may have to be over a month long. Hahaha!
Day 1: We flew to Singapore and had a 9 hour layover before we could get on our budget flight to Sydney. Somehow I managed to override Mike's preference of staying in the airport all day and convinced him to go to the Marina Bay Sands. I've been so curious about it since Les and Jogo's honeymoon, and saw the features about it on TV. We had dinner (err, light snack) up at the Sky on 57 restaurant. This pic is the view from up there. Then we went down to the ArtScience museum (it's that bowl-shaped building on the lower left) and saw the Lego exhibit. Well worth the cab rides in and out of the airport!
Day 2: After an 8 hour flight from Singapore, we finally arrived in Sydney! Tita Bing and Tito Tabi fetched us from the airport and brought us to their home in St. Clair. We unpacked and rested indoors because there was a heatwave and it was too hot outside. Soon the weather cooled down enough and it was time to go to Harry's Cafe de Wheels for meatpies with Ate Nikki, Kuya Ian and their families. The pies were so good, I forgot to take photos! After that we did some aqua golf (I hit Ariel!) then headed home to rest and relax.
Day 3: Jetlagged, we woke up late. But we joined Tita Bing and Tito Tabi at a relative's kid's baptism lunch. Eat all you can. Haha! Then back home for more resting and relaxing. I kept asking Tita Bing to let me help her prepare dinner, but she wouldn't let me! I ended up eating most of the grapes, during kwentuhan as she did the cooking.
Finally, at 5, our friends arrived! My college friends, Sarah, Dondi, Emman and Regan, whom I haven't seen in years, plus their girlfriends, Gianna and Nikki. It was so great to hang out with them again. It felt like we're back in the ICTUS tambayan. And I think they enjoyed getting to eat pancit and lumpia again, which Tita Bing and Ate Nikki prepared. Also if they had gotten Tito Tabi just a leeetle more drunk, he might have let them ride his motorcycle around the block a couple of times. Haha! Ate Nikki and Kuya Ian's whole families were there, and so was Nez, Ate Ayit's friend whom I hung out with when she came to the Philippines 10 years ago, so she's now my friend too. I was so glad that my friends in Oz now know my family in Oz. Perhaps eventually, they'll consider my family their family too.
Day 4: Finally, on our first touring day, it rained! Akala ko ba heatwave?! We were so unprepared we had to buy umbrellas after we got off at the Town Hall station. At Darling Harbour, we had lunch in the food court (cheap food. yes!) and when we emerged, the rain had stopped. We then went to Sea Life Sydney Aquarium where we oggled at the marine wildlife. After that, we took a ferry to Circular Quay. I took this photo from the Luna Park stop. At Circular Quay, we walked around, took photos and windowshopped until it was time to meet Brenda at the Opera Bar. We ate and drank until it was time to head home. Took the wrong train and got home an hour later than planned. Buti na lang Tito Tabs was nice about etching us from the station so late.
Day5: Zoo Day! When the twins and I came here 13 years ago, it was cold and raining and miserable. This time it was sunny and nice and free! Thanks to Dondi! Even Shiva and her entourage, Chat, Lara and Mark benefited from the zoo passes. Which was why we were willing to pay $5 each to have our photo "officially" taken right beside this poor stoned koala named Darwin. We walked up and down and all around, saw all the animals, free and caged, until our feet were about ready to give beneath us. When we gt back to Circular Quay, we decided to have some beer and sausages at Lowenbrau, at the Rocks. After that, we parted ways and Mike and I headed back to Darling Harbour, again by ferry, to rest at Emman and Gianna's flat (They let us stay there overnight because they were away. My friends are awesome!) until it was time to go out again.
We met up again with Brenda and Regan later that night for drinks and kwentuhan and dancing and whiskey and the Rashomon moment and escape from tall drunk lady. It was epic. No photos will end up on the internet.
Day 6: Supposed to be Bondi Beach Day but after the night of drunken debauchery, I'm afraid I woke up at noon. So we decided it would be shopping day instead. From E&G's flat, we got a day pass on the monorail and headed for Paddy's Market for bargain souvenirs. Mike complained of a stomach ache so he soon headed back to the flat and left me to explore Haymarket and Chinatown by myself. When I ran out of money (hehe) I headed back and we packed up to go back to St. Clair.
When we got back to Tita Bing's house, she had a giant turkey adobo waiting for us. We really felt the love! The drumstick was as long as my arm.
Day 7: Canberra Day. Tito Tabi drove us all the way to the Capital. We stopped by Goulburn to see The Big Merino (look it up. Mike thought it was a ship. It isn't.). At Canberra we went around the Australian War Memorial (above) and the Parliament Building (below). Mike kept saying it was all very modern, especially compared to Westminster, but we both think it was nice.
On the way back to St. Clair we stopped by a wake (Tito Tabs' friend had died recently. Parang States ulit.) and then headed on to Kuya Ian's house where we had dinner. It was so nice to hang out with noisy kulit children again! Clarissa reminds me of Desi, as she talks nonstop. Jerome asks a lot of questions, just like Lia. I can't wait for them to get to hang out together. And Ate Cindy prepared an excellent meal. I didn't want to stop eating! Great kwentuhan and great food.
Day 8: Wedding day! Tito Tabi and Tita Bing drove us all the way to Terrigal for Shiva's wedding. We got there at around lunch time, so we had lunch at the park where Shiva was the get married that afternoon. This photo is the view from the deck on which the ceremony was performed. It was very short, simple and personal. I did a reading and managed not to botch it. Haha! The weather was cloudy again, which is not the best sky for photos, but it meant we weren't roasting in the sun. And it wasn't too windy so we weren't cold either. After the wedding ceremony, we hung out with Maita and Myrfi, who were also in Australia all that week but we didn't get to meet up with them till the wedding.
The reception was one of the funnest wedding receptions I have ever been to, partly because of Afro Moses, who is from Ghana but plays reggae, and partly because Shiva and Zac's guests DANCE. I danced so much I had to remove my shoes and go barefoot cause my feet started to ache. Stars of the show, Zac's two lolas, at 83 and 93, shaking their booty like nobody's business. They were awesome! It was a fun and memorable night.
Day 9: We went for lunch at Zac's parents' house in Wamberal, this time Tita Bing and Tito Tabi joined us and they finally got to meet Zac and Shiva. We also met Shiva's other relatives who live in Australia and they had common friends with my relatives, whodathunk? It was such a nice day to just hang out in the yard, under the tree, eat cheese and crackers and joke around with friends, old and new, as well as get to know Shiva's new Ford family better. Unfortunately, we had to leave before the sausages were cooked because we were expecting a plumber back in St. Clair.
That evening, a group of Filipino carolers came and sang. Way to get into the Christmas spirit! Fun too to hear Filipino songs over there. Ate Nikki, Kuya Dennis and their children came for dinner and we ate and talked late into the night, chismis and kwentuhan and planning for their big trip to the Philippines next year.
Day 10: After brekkie, Tito Tabs and Tita Bing brought us to the airport and this time we were an hour early for check in. It was a looong trip home, this time with just a 4 hour layover in Singapore, so no time to go out to see the City. We were too tired anyway. I slept a bit before boarding. And as we got closer and closer to home, I felt less and less bitin, and more and more eager to hug my kids again.
It was really really fun, for many different reasons. But mostly for me, because of the people we got to spend time with over there. I had been to most of the places Mike and I toured around in. Although it was a much different experience than travelling with my brothers 13 years ago, this time, I not only got to reconnect with my Aunt and Uncle (actually, Tito Tabi is our ninong sa kasal, so it was good to hear his stories about migrating to Australia) and cousins and pamangkins, I got to hang out with old friends and I got to make new ones, Everyone we visited in Sydney (even my cousins whom we weren't able to visit) were super nice and generous to us, with their homes, time, money, food, wifi, apartment, zoo passes, knowledge of secret whiskey dives... we felt very very welcomed and taken cared of. Plus in this trip I think I danced and drank the most, out of all our other trips. But I managed not to make (too much of) a fool of myself, so it was all good!
Thanks to everyone who took us in and gave us stuff! And especially thanks to Shiva and Zac for inviting us, making us part of your special day, and making this whole trip a reality. Best wishes and we hope to visit you again sooon!