It was in February when we first went to Mambukal Resort. From Circle Inn (the hotel where we stayed), we took a jeep and went off at Libertad (7 pesos). And then, we took a non-air-conditioned bus going to Mambukal which costs 35 pesos/pax (one way). Just tell the conductor that you’ll get off at Mambukal. And yes, the bus stops in front of Mambukal Resort.

The travel time from Bacolod to Mambukal is around 1.5 hours. It’s not that long. On the way to Mambukal, you’ll enjoy the scenery of the vast fields of sugar cane and of Mount Canlaon.

Upon arriving Mambukal Resort, just go inside, and pay an entrance fee of 30 pesos for adults and 10 pesos for kids.

2nd waterfall at Mambukal Resort

When we finally got inside the resort, the guides were already approaching us and asked us if we want to go and see the waterfalls. In Mambukal Resort, there are seven waterfalls. However, we weren’t able to see all of them. After preparing ourself for the hike that we won’t forget, we finally got two guides since we belong in a group of five.

3rd waterfall at Mambukal Resort

Going to the first waterfall was quite easy. After that, it became quite hard for the group especially that not all of us are physically fit. I think that it was harder for me because I have to keep my balance, thus, I was very careful when taking  each step.

It’s good that the guide helped me in bringing my tripod. If not, I would probably need more time to finish the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th waterfalls.

We stayed longer at the 6th waterfalls where Sha, Kitel, Pichy and Carla took a dip in the pool there. As for me, I just savored the cool breeze and continued taking photos.

6th waterfall at Mambukal Resort

After that, the difficult hikes became all worth it. We didn’t proceed anymore to the 7th waterfall because it started to drizzle so we decided to go back. After the hike, we paid the guides 200 pesos each.

Swimming at the Mambukal Sulfur Pool is a must after the long trek. It will surely soothe your muscles. Then, we had our late lunch before going back to Bacolod City. There are food stalls inside the resort. Food is not that expensive and of course, they serve the famous Bacolod Chicken Inasal. Aside from the waterfalls, you can also enjoy other resort amenities at a very low cost. Half a day is enough to enjoy Mambukal Resort. For us, we only targeted to go to the waterfalls and have ourselves be relaxed at the Sulfur Pool.

There’s a bus outside Mambukal Resort that you can take if you’ll go back to Bacolod City.

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I never knew that I will someday experience white water rafting. Last May 8th, while everybody was busy watching the Pacquiao vs. Mosley boxing match, me and fellow bloggers Rochelle Chua, Evanjohn Mendoza, Faith Salazar, Eric D., Yoshke Dimen, Jonel Uy and Lalaine Orozco and others were having a hell of a time at the Davao River for the White Water Rapid Adventure. Actually, It’s the first extreme sport I’ve ever done in my life and preferred this than going through the zipline.

To get ready for this extreme adventure, we had a heavy breakfast in Microtel. I need to ensure that I have enough energy (Carbo loading!). We left the hotel at around 8:30 am and headed to the Davao Crocodile Park Complex in Ma-a, Davao. We arrived at around 9:00 am. This is where we had our briefing, took our life vests and helmets and tweeted with a hashtag #hulinghabilin in case it’s gonna be our last time on earth . Kidding aside, we were really scared because most of us are first timers on this kind of extreme sport. After the briefing, we headed to Tamugan, a one and a half hour (1.5) travel time from Ma-a, Davao.

We arrived at the Put-In Area at around 10:00 am. The guides gave us a brief instruction on how to do defensive swimming, how to use the paddle and what to do in case our raft capsizes. After that, Eric, Faith, Lalaine, Rochelle and I jumped into our blue raft together with our guide. Now, this is the time to put what we have learned to the test during our 13 kilometer adventure.

The whole rafting experience took us around 3 – 4 hours. We experienced quite a number of rapids such as the “washing machine”, “rodeo”, “double drop” and the “drop and suck”. Ever time that we conquer a rapid, our guide would shout “high five” and we altogether shout our team name “Team Merla”, as a symbol of achievement. We were all laughing so hard!

(photo courtesy of Davao Wild Water Adventure)

I also had a chance to drift myself along in the river. It was a symbolic experience just letting myself literally drift. No inhibitions, just me, the river and nature.

We had lunch somewhere in the picnic grounds by the river. Nothing too fancy, it’s just us and nature surrounding us. There were some rain showers after lunch. We’re already wet anyway so it’s fine.

And then we arrived at the “take out” area in Purok 8, which is the pit stop of our wild river adventure. We were all tired but everything was worth it!

If you’d like to experience the Davao Wild River Adventure, why not reserve a slot by contacting them through their website and their Facebook page? Our adventure was complimentary (please see post in Kaladkaringpaa.com to know about it). Cost of this adventure is PHP2000 per person which consists of:

• Transportation (From Crocodile Park to Rafting Area and back)
• Packed Lunch and bottled water
• Use of white water rafting gear and equipment
• Raft Guide
• Documentation (2 per group of 6)
• Ticket to Zip City

Here are a few tips if you plan to have this adventure:

1. Wear light clothes, avoid the maong type.
2. Bring only the essentials for the rafting trip: sunblock and yourself. If you don’t want to bring sunblock, it would be better to wear long sleeves. You can also bring a waterproof camera but make sure that you bring this out when the water is calm. I had mine tied in my life vest and hidden underneath it. You can also bring sunglasses or eyeglasses, for as long as it has a string.
3. It’s better to wear strapped outdoor sandals so that you will not easily slip. I used my Tribu sandals (my all around travel sandals, model is Subanon) which is wrapped in my foot.
4. Follow the instructions given to you by the raft guide.
5. Have fun and don’t be a party pooper!

Just the girls after the wild river adventure

For more information about Davao Wild Water Adventure, please visit their website and their Facebook Page.

Here’s a video of our white water rapid adventure! Thanks to Davao Wild Water Adventure for this!

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One of the exciting things to do when in Puerto Princesa is island hopping. If you’re an adventurer, this is the one for you. This begins in Honda Bay, a 20 – 30 minute drive from the city proper. We booked a package at gopalawan.travel and paid $68 (for 2 people) via Paypal. Method of payment is very convenient, we didn’t have to go to the bank or pay cash. A van picked us up at Pads (our hotel) and also brought us back after the tour.

We arrived at the Honda Bay dock station at around 8:30 am. This is the time that it’s packed with tourists, ready to go island hopping. The pump boat can accommodate around 10 people. Our first stop was Pambato Island where we snorkeled and saw beautiful corals and fishes. This was actually my first time to snorkel and I really enjoyed it. Seeing the fishes and other sea creatures in their natural habitat was heavenly. As my body was floating while snorkeling, my mind was floating as well, just like in a state of grandeur which I can’t really explain. I am seeing another world within our world which I haven’t explored in my entire life.

Snake Island, Puerto Princesa

The next island that we visited was Snake Island. The reason it was called as such because of the shape of the island and not because it’s infested with snakes. This island has a sandbar which is very evident when it’s low tide. It also has mangroves in some parts areas. We spent around 2 hours in the island and we also had our lunch here (already included in our package). We also fed the fishes here with the bread that we bought before we began the island hopping.

Our next stop was Pandan Island. For me, this is my most favorite island. It’s very peaceful and it’s like you’re lost in the middle of nowhere. I enjoyed the moment by swimming in the clear, pristine waters and fishfeeding! I said to myself, “ahh, this is the life”.

This was where some of our tour companions had fun with jump shots. Here’s one Canadian lady we met who enjoyed the jump shots:

We left early because some of our companions have a flight back to Manila so we headed back to the base at around 4 pm. This was one of my most memorable experiences in the Philippines and I am looking forward to seeing more of like this in other provinces.

Actually, you can go there without a package. You can rent a boat for around Php 3000 – 4000 for a whole day. If you’re worried about food, you can either bring your own or buy fresh seafood in the island and pay the locals there to cook them for you (or called “paluto”). There are also other islands there that you can visit but according to our tour guide Gloria, the must visits are really Pandan, Snake and Pambato Islands. But if you are lazy to think of where to go for island hopping, I would suggest that you get a package. There are a lot of travel packages that you find when you step into the Puerto Princesa arrival area.

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We are glad that we had the opportunity to join the Club EOS Raw Adventure which includes a Landscape Photography workshop in Pico de Loro Cove. Pico de Loro Cove is a Hamilo Coast development and it’s located in Nasugbu, Batangas. To go there, you need to take the Tagaytay-Nasugbu route.

We departed from McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio at around 6am and got there at around 9am. Length of travel time includes two stopovers at around 15 minutes each.

In Pico de Loro Cove, you may kayak, swim, snorkeling, fish feeding, boat tour of other coves of Hamilo Coast, bike trails, trekking and more.

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I arrived in Melbourne Zoo at around 10:30 am. The sun was up and it was scorching hot that day. Good thing that I only wore shorts so that I’ll be comfortable. Entrance to the Melbourne Zoo costs AUD 24.90 for adults (around Php 1070 +). Children 4-15 years old costs AUD 12.10 (around Php 520+).

Because I was in Australia, I promised myself to see a real life Kangaroo and Koala that is why I decided to go to the Melbourne Zoo. The zoo houses more than 320 species and it is oldest zoo in Australia (opened in 1862). I enjoyed watching the animals. Everyone there felt that they’re a kid all over again because of the animals. The moment I saw where the kangaroos were, I was stunned. Since the sun was up, I think they were too lazy to get up and they’re quite thin. I was able to see one kangaroo hop its way to the other side and I was really amazed how cute it hopped!

There was one koala there hugging the bamboo tree. It was so cute!

The meerkat was a funny little thing. It was quite hard to take a photo of it because it kept on running around. Good thing I was able to catch him standing still.

Here’s another interesting animal I saw, the wombat. It’s actually a pig but it’s hairy. The keeper allowed the visitors to touch it. He was harmless and felt like I was caressing a dog.

I ate my quick lunch at the zoo. Just had a cheeseburger (a gigantic one!) and a bottle of Gatorade. I left Melbourne zoo at around 12:30 pm and headed to the tram station to go back to the city. The funny thing happened was I rode the wrong tram. I realized that I rode the tram going farther north of Melbourne because I couldn’t see it anymore in my map! I immediately jumped off the wrong tram and waited for the tram (again, tram 55)  going to back to the city. It’s confusing for me because their roads are meant for drivers on the right side when here in the Philippines, the drivers are at the left side . My next stop was the University of Melbourne.

Trinity College at the University of Melbourne

The University of Melbourne is one of the most prestigious university in the whole world. Founded in 1854, its Gothic inspired architecture is truly a beautiful sight to see. If only given a chance, I want to study there.

Horsfall Chapel near the Trinity College

I still can’t get enough of looking at different kinds of art and so I decided to drop by the National Gallery of Victoria at the Arts Centre. I rode the tram going to the Flinders Street Station.

There is no entrance fee to the National Gallery of Victoria. Everybody is free to roam around and even take pictures. At first, I was hesitant because usually galleries would not allow photography inside it but when I saw someone who took a photo and the marshall didn’t mind it, I took my own photos as well.

Roaming around the different galleries felt like I was in Rome. The paintings and sculptures were magnificent. I couldn’t help but be awed as I was looking at the beautiful pieces of art! I even saw a Monet painting there.

My last stop for the day was the Eureka Skydeck 88. This is also like the Melbourne 360 but this one offers something different aside from the full view of Melbourne. They have what they call “The Edge”.  This is a glass cube which projects out of the building itself and can be thrilling for many because the floor is also made of glass. By the way, if you look down, you will see that you are standing 300 meters high. The entrance fee to the Eureka Skydeck 88 is AUD 16.50 for adults (around Php 709+) and there is an additional fee of AUD 12.00 (around Php 516+)  if you want to experience “The Edge”.

I’d really go for anything as a tourist so I paid for my admission ticket for the edge. They gave me an alarm thing which will signal me to go to the entrance of The Edge. So I decided to look around the skydeck first and the I heard the alarm thing. I noticed that the alarm went louder as I approach the entrance of the Edge. They gave me plastic to put into my shoes (somewhat like a shower cap) then we were briefed on what to do when we’re inside the chamber. While we were inside the glass chamber, there were loud noises that would make you feel scared. I wasn’t really scared at all. No cameras were allowed inside the chamber because they have a camera there to take souvenir photos. Of course, I had mine. My group included a couple and a family and I was the only one who’s alone (sad ). Well, even though that’s the case, I’m the only one who has the cutest souvenir photo! Haha. After the experience, they gave us baller bands that says “I survived The Edge” for free and after that I headed to the souvenir photo area to get my own photo.

I headed to Swanston Street to have dinner. I enjoyed watching the animals and most especially the beautiful art in the gallery. I was already realizing that my days in Melbourne was nearing to its end. It saddening to know that I am now back here in Manila. I wish I could’ve stayed much longer but my work is here. But anyway, I was already lucky to have one weekend there to go around and experience the city.

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Lignon Hill (pronounced as Liñon or /li-NYON/) is located near Legazpi Airport. The hill stands at 156 meters (511 feet) tall and has best view of Mayon Volcano and the whole Albay. It is best to go there in the morning if you want to see Mayon Volcano without the clouds. When it’s in the afternoon, the clouds tend to cover the volcano. It is also good to go there during the late afternoons up to evenings so that you can see the sunset and the lights of Albay.

We decided to start our day by going to Lignon Hill first. We took a tricyle from where we were staying (Sampaguita Tourist Innm in Rizal Drive) and spent Php 40 going to the entrance of the hill. It only took us around 30 minutes to get there. Since it was 7:30 am, vehicles are not allowed to go up the hill so visitors need to walk to reach the top. Since we aren’t that physically fit, it took us around an hour to get there. The road opens for vehicles after 9 am so if you’re a bit too lazy to walk up the hill, then wait until 9 . So we walked, and the moment we reached the top, the view was breath-taking.

Karla brought her tripod so that we can both have beautiful photos taken with us together. We immediately had a photo together with the view of Mayon Volcano in the background. It looked like the Mayon was just painted in our background! It was so beautiful and I can’t believe it’s real.

I was so overwhelmed with its beauty. Can’t you see I’m so happy?

Lignon Hill doesn’t have much establishments there, so better bring your own bottle of water. I believe they are planning to have food establishments set up there.

One thing that you can do when you’re there in Lignon Hill is to experience the Zipline. I didn’t try it, I just enjoyed watching the people zip. It rises at 160 meters from the ground and around 100 meters long. The zipline is back and forth and it costs Php 200 with the view of the Mayon Volcano. It’s length is like the one in Caliraya, Laguna.

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Hoyop-hoyopan cave is amongst the destinations that we’ve been to when we had a trip to Albay. You can either hire a tricycle from Legazpi City to take you there or you can hire a van with a driver for a day tour and just include Hoyop-Hoyopan cave in your itinerary. It is located in the town of Camalig, Albay.

Referred to as Moses by our guide

Upon our arrival, we had a short trek to go to the entrance of the cave. They do not allow vehicles to go up to the entrance. It is advisable to get a guide there to tour you around the cave. Each guide is paid 300 pesos but we only have to pay 150 pesos since we’re sharing the guide with another tourist. Entrance fee to the cave is already included with the fee.

The cave has lights inside, thus, you do not have to bring flashlights with you. It is advisable to wear sandals/slippers that are made for hiking. There are some areas in the cave that can be slippery. It’s also best to bring your tripod with you so that you can take photos without using flash.

I must say that our guide who toured us around the cave knows the place very well. Aside from being knowledgeable, he also shared anecdotes that made the tour memorable.

Just outside the entrance, you could buy a souvenir like the one in the picture above. The crystal has been carved and painted to make it look like Mayon Volcano with the Cagsawa Ruins.

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I was lucky to have stayed in a hotel that is very easy to find. As mentioned in my previous blog post, I stayed at the Seasons Botanical Gardens in St. Kilda Road. The hotel was opposite the tram station so it was very easy for me to go to anywhere I want to.

Tree at the Royal Botanic Gardens

Tree at the Royal Botanic Gardens

Sculpture at the Royal Botanic Gardens

At the Royal Botanic Gardens

My adventure started at the parks opposite my hotel. Since it’s spring time in Melbourne, it’s a good time to see colorful flowers and lots of green trees. I just needed to cross the street and voila, I am already at the Royal Botanic Gardens. This garden is really big (35.4 hectares). I can’t help but be amazed by the beautiful flowers. There were birds everywhere.

Flowers at the Shrine of Remembrance

Shrine of Remembrance

Then I visited the Shrine of Remembrance, which was just nearby. The shrine is actually a war memorial that was built from 1928-1934 to commemorate the thousands of great men and women who died during the Great War in 1914-1918. The structure itself was so enormous and can’t help be enamoured by its grandeur.

Stone of Remembrance

Trees at the Shrine of Remembrance

Opposite the Shrine of Remembrance is The Stone of Remembrance and the trees leading to Anzac Avenue.

Sculpture at the King’s Domain

Sculpture Near Sidney Myer Music Bowl at the King’s Domain

Sidney Myer Music Bowl

I continued to walk and eventually landed at the King’s Domain. I saw the Sidney Myer Music Bowl where concerts and big events are being held.

Fountain at the National Gallery of Victoria

The Arts Centre

After that, my feet eventualy led me to the National Gallery of Victoria and the Arts Centre which are part of the Arts Precinct. It was still very early then (around 9 am) and so I wasn’t able to go inside it. I just walked around it and then, the nearby structure of it is the Arts Centre. This is where theatrical plays and shows are held. One must pay the entrance fee depending on the kind of show that you’ll watch.

Melbourne City Free Tourist Shuttle

Now the reason I walked towards this area is because I wanted to see the Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle. This is free for all tourists who would like to visit the key tourist spots around Melbourne. The Arts Centre is their first stop. Below is the list of  the Tourist Shuttle Stops:

1. The Arts Precinct – Performing Arts Museum, National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) , Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) , Malthouse Theatre and Melbourne Recital Centre
2. Federation Square - Melbourne Visitor Centre, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Australian Racing Museum and Hall of Fame and the National Design Centre.
3. Sports Precinct - National Sports Museum, Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, Olympic Park, Fitzroy Gardens, Cooks’ Cottage, the Fairy Tree, model Tudor Vilage and Conservatory.
4. Chinatown Precinct & Theatres District – Her Majesty’s Princess and Comedy Theaters, Treasury Gardens, City Museum at Old Treasury, Chinatown
5. Melbourne Museum and Carlton Gardens – Melbourne Museum, IMAX Theatre, Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens
6. Lygon Street Precinct (home of the Italian community)
7. University of Melbourne
8. Queen Victoria Market
9. Waterfront City, Docklands – Pearl River Road and Docklands Drive, Southern Star Observation Wheel, Harbour Twn, Waterfront City Marina
10. Docklands Stadium & Victoria Harbour- Harbour Esplanade, Victoria Harbour, Telstra Dome (Etihad), Docklands Park
11. William Street – Immigration Museum, Melbourne 360, Melbourne Aquarium, ANZ Gothic Bank
    
12. Southbank and Yarra River – Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Crown Entertainment Complex, Eureka Skydeck 88
13. The Shrine and Royal Botanic Gardens – Shrine of Remembrance, Royal Botanic Gardens, King’s Domain, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Government House and La Trobe’s Cottage.

I based my whole itinerary from the list of the shuttle stops even though I didn’t really ride the tourist shuttle all throughout weekend. I felt like it’s much enjoyable when I’m walking than riding the bus and waiting for the next stop.

Flinders Street Train Station

Australians Heading to the Horse Races in Flinders Street Train Station

Federation Square

Anyway, to continue with my journey, after riding the shuttle bus I arrived at the Federation Square. It’s probably one of the busiest intersections because this is also where Flinders Street Train Station is. Lots of people travel to and from this station. When I was there, it was the season of the Melbourne Cup (horse races). It has been a tradition of men and women to dress up for the said event. Women have to accessorize with unique hats along with their dresses.

St. Paul’s Cathedral in Flinders Street

Across the Flinders Street Train Station was the St. Paul’s Cathedral. It looks very gothic and it’s in the middle of a very busy intersection.

Federation Square

Film Watching at the Federation Square

The photo above is the Federation Square which is just across the Flinders Street Train Station. This area is a public area where people can just sit down and chill out. When I was there, Harry Potter 5 was being shown in the big screen. It’s totally free and no one will bother you.

Australian Racing Museum

As mentioned earlier, Australians are very fond of the horse races. It’s rooted in their history and culture so I decided to drop by the Australian Racing Museum at the Federation Square. The entrance fee is AUD $9.00. The exhibit area is just one floor, just to give you a glimpse of horse racing history. The most interesting part of their horse races is the evolution of women’s dresses throughout the years. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take a picture of the things inside the museum so to know the history of women’s fashion, you may refer to the article here.

History of Film, Television and Digital Culture at the Australian Center for the Moving Image

Old Film Projector in ACMI

Another interesting place to visit within the Federation Square is the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI). It is the home of independent cinemas in Melbourne. They hold international film festivals and they also have queer cinema festival (for the LGBTs) during March. At the second floor, they have an interactive exhibit of the history of film, television and digital culture. This was a fun place to visit because they have old projectors, televisions, family computers and many more. The best of it all is that you can actually use them, like the old Nintendo family computer .

Television During the 80′s at the ACMI

Star Wars Figures at the ACMI

So if you’re a someone who is a popular culture enthusiast, this is a place you should not miss. The entrance is free and you can take photos (for as long as you don’t use flash). They have a booth wherein you can be like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix. You can send it to yourself (which I did) and you can see the video here.

Street Performer at the Federation Square

After going around the museums, I saw this Aussie street performer near the Melbourne Tourist Information Centre. He did some tricks and even had people from the audience participate. There are lots of these in the city, all you have to do is just give a little amount to show your appreciation.

Deli Aisle in Queen Victoria Market

Cold Cuts at the Queen Victoria Market

Fruits in Queen Victoria Market

Fruits and Vegetables at the Queen Victoria Market

It’s already lunch time and I totally forgot to eat because I was still enjoying the city. I decided to go to Queen Victoria Market to have my lunch there. I wasn’t really hungry at all but I felt that I needed to eat something, so I just had a Borek.

The market is very popular not only to Australians but also to tourists because it’s a historic landmark, a tourist attraction and most of all, it’s the shopping mecca of Australians. You can find lots of things at the market from deli, fruits, vegetables, clothes, cafes, souvenirs and many more. The place is somewhat similar to our own Farmer’s Market in Cubao but this is much bigger and lots of choices to choose from. It’s about 7 hectare and was opened to the public on 20th March 1878. This is definitely a haven for foodies. They offer different kinds of tours such as:

1. Foodies Tour – schedules are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 10:00 am
2. Group Tours - special tours and concessions for more than 10 people
3. Heritage Market Tour - explores the colourful 125 year plus history of the Market and includes morning tea
4. Combination Tour – combination of popular foodies and historical tours with coffee break half way through which is ideal for seniors
5. Multi-cultural Food Tour - emphasizes the wonderful ethnic variety of Market produce
6. Breakfast with the Vegies – breakfast tour
7. Healthy Eating for Diabetics Shop and Cook - this is in conjunction with their cooking school
8. Special Christmas Shopping Tours

If you want to book or ask about these tours, you may email them at qvmtours@melbourne.vic.gov.au. I was hoping to join the Foodies tour but I wasn’t able to because I was still wandering around Federation Square at that time. Oh well, it’s ok. Anyway, their market trading hours are:

• Tuesday & Thursday 6 am – 2 pm
• Friday 6 am – 6 pm (General merchandise to 4 pm)
  
• Saturday 6 am – 3 pm (General merchandise from 8 am – Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday)
  
• Sunday 9 am – 4 pm

To be able to go to Queen Victoria Market, I rode a tram from William Street that is heading north. Another way is to ride any north-heading tram from Elizabeth Street.

Melbourne 360 Sign

Sculptures at the Melbourne 360

After my quick lunch and shopping for my friends and relatives’ gifts, I went to the Melbourne 360 in Collins Street. From Queen Elizabeth Market, I rode a tram in Queen Street to Collins Street. Then I walked 2 blocks before I reached the Melbourne 360.

View at the Melbourne 360

The Melbourne 360 is located at the 55th floor of the Rialto. It only takes around 40 seconds to reach the deck. From there, you’ll see the full view of Melbourne. The photo above is West Melbourne. The nest-like shape thing you see there is the Etihad Stadium.

View at the Melbourne 360

This is East Melbourne. The tallest building in the photo is the Eureka Tower which is also has an observation deck.

ANZ Gothic Bank and Westpac Building

Now this is North Melbourne. The buildings above are 2 of the biggest banks in Australia, ANZ Bank and Westpac. The photo shows the ANZ Gothic Bank, where my former colleagues in ANZ Careers work.

Entrance fee for an adult in Melbourne 360 is at AUD $ 15.50 (approximately Php 660 +).

Hours of operations are:

• Monday – Friday: 10am – 9pm (last entry 8:30pm)
• Saturday: 10am – 10pm (last entry 9:30pm)
• Sunday: 10am – 6:30pm (last entry 6pm)

Melbourne Aquarium Sign

It was already around 4 pm. I was so tired from walking and still carrying plastics of shopping bags from the Queen Victoria Market but that didn’t hinder me from going to the Melbourne Aquarium.

Penguins

Penguin Swimming

I love the Melbourne Aquarium because of the cute penguins and other sea creatures. It was actually my first time to see penguins in person and they are really very adorable! I suddenly remembered the movie Happy Feet when I saw them walking in queue.

Pinocchio Fish at the Melbourne Aquarium

Tortoise at the Melbourne Aquarium

Shark at the Melbourne Aquarium

Smiling Stingray at the Melbourne Aquarium

I was like a kid stuck in a museum because of the wonderful sea creatures I saw all around the aquarium. The place is like Ocean Park in Hong Kong but this one is much smaller.

My day ended by having dinner at the Swanston Walk Cafe Bar along Swanston Street then, I rode a tram going back to my hotel. As much as I wanted to sleep early, I can’t because I have to plan my itinerary for the next day. I’m glad that my day was planned just right.

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Aside from my colleagues in the office, all the people here are generally very kind and friendly. I also see a lot of Asians and Indians here. It feels so good and makes me feel comfortable being alone with so many friendly people I deal with here.

At night, with the view of the Royal Botanical Garden and the city on my window, I don’t really see a lot cars and people either. It’s not like in Manila wherein you can go to a cafe during the wee hours of the morning.

After work, I walked passed at my hotel and decided to stroll for a while before coming home. I turned left to Walk St. and then ended up in Dorcas St. I’m actually looking for something to take away for dinner. I saw a small grocer and bought a frozen roasted lamb which I can heat in my oven at my hotel room. I thought of strolling some more and saw some more grocers and small restaurants. I decided to buy a zaru soba (cold buckwheat noodles) from a Japanese restaurant in Bank St. called DonDon.

I could live here for a long time. Probably I’ll decide to migrate here in the future.

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When a rare opportunity comes, grab it.

Here I am in Melbourne, Australia being trained for my new role in my current company. I’ll only be here for a week and I’ll still be based in Manila. It’s my first time in Melbourne and it’s my first time to travel alone.

Butterfly Garden in Changi Airport

My flight going to Melbourne was long because I have connecting flights. I left Manila at 2:20 pm and arrived in Singapore around 6 pm. I hanged around Terminal 3 of the Changi Airport for around 3 hours. I haven’t been there for a long time. I think it’s the best airport I’ve been to, lots of places to dine, shop and of course I love their free wi-fi! I roamed around the airport and found the Butterfly Garden. It’s a good way to see a glimpse of nature in a busy airport.  Then at 8:10 pm, I was already boarding the plane going to Melbourne. By the way, I flew to Melbourne via Singapore Airlines which was the cheapest so far compared to Cathay Pacific and Philippine Airlines. The flight was worth $750 (back and forth) while the others were more than $900 +.

Still at the Butterfly Garden in Changi Airport

Good thing I got the window seat because the lady beside me (on my left) is having a hard time with the lady on her left side. She kept on standing up the whole flight and even poured wine on the kind lady beside me. Poor thing. I also can’t help but be awakened whenever she makes a commotion. Travelling by airplanes are not really for everybody, especially that old lady who can’t sit still. Oh well.

I arrived in Melbourne at around 7:30 am and first thing I saw in my airplane window before landing was a beautiful rainbow. What a beautiful sight to see in a land that I’ve never been on.

The moment I went out of the airport to ride a cab, I felt the very cold breeze. It’s like Baguio but it’s much more colder. Temperature is about 19 degrees.

I took a cab and headed straight to our office in Stead Street South Melbourne. I can’t check in to my hotel because check-in time is 2 pm. I immediately started training then my boss allowed me to go home at 4 pm to check in to my hotel nearby.

By the way, I am currently staying at the Seasons Botanic Gardens in St. Kilda Road.

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