Land Down Under: Sydney, Australia

(Long overdue post  part 1)
(September-October 2013)

Most of my colleagues say that newbies usually get flights to land down under because we still don't have US Visa (which was a requirement to operate US and Canada flights). True enough, I get Australia flights every month and I won't complain. It may be an ultra long range flight (it sometimes turns me OFF), but the destination was worth the flight duration.  

On the last part of my first month and on my second month of flying, the only Australian destination I got was SYDNEY (located in New South Wales). It was one of the most popular cities of Australia. Two of the famous landmarks you could find there were the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Good thing that our hotel was just in the heart of the central business district (CBD). Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge was just a few minutes walk from where we stayed.  Finding a place to eat and shop for food (in case you want to bring home some goodies), souvenirs and etc was never a problem - there were plenty of shops, restaurants, fast food chains/and or food courts, and convenience stores around the CBD.  

Let me share with you some of the things I did in Sydney (on those few times I've been there):

1.  Visited Bondi Beach

It was just a spontaneous trip to a beach..well at least for me. I was invited by another crew to join her and her friends on their Bondi Beach Visit. We paid 10 aud (that's a roundtrip fare) for our bus tickets.

According to Bondi Village website, "Bondi" or "Boondi" is an aboriginal word meaning "water breaking over rocks" or "noise of water breaking over rocks." The Australian Museum records that Bondi means "place where a flight of nullas took place." When we got there, I observed that the water was literally breaking over the rocks. It was an ideal place for surfers since giant waves were frequent from time to time.

In all honesty, I was never a beach lover, but I won't say NO for a walk in a picture-perfect beach like Bondi.

2. Of course, who wouldn't have his or her picture taken near Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House

3. More landmarks photo op:

a. Royal Botanic Gardens

b. St. Mary's Cathedral

c. Customs House

4. (Mini) Grocery Shopping at Woolworths and "Kikay" finds at Priceline


There's (only) a single thing that turns me off about traveling to Sydney - the long flight time. Like any other situation, there were times that it's really not the work that makes you tired, it's the travel time.
Nevertheless, I liked walking around Sydney CBD.The fact that our hotel was situated in the city made things easy for me. I did not notice the long walks, and sometimes the chilly air.

If you really have the budget to spend, Sydney would be a good idea for shopping (window or literally shopping). If in case you just want to explore or have fun, you could take the ferry (at the Circular Quay) going to Taronga Zoo or Darling Harbour. 

I am thankful for the perks of my job as it makes me discover a lot of things. It may be an understatement though but I couldn't think of any other thought to express my feelings about the things I am getting now. There's always a pursuit of learning when you travel. Walking around (by yourself) in a foreign place makes the traveling more exciting, plus, it makes you exercise independence.

As Mark Twain would say: 

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

 

Walkathon at Melbourne

It's my thing to check the weather before my flight so I know what to pack in my suitcase. Since it's in the forecast that it will be cold in the land down under, I made sure I packed a jacket and coat to keep me warm while getting around the place. 

I welcomed the month of September with a multiple sector flight - this means I will be away from the sandpit for 5 days and finally get back on the 6th day.  I was excited to operate that flight since I will be flying with my batchmate - this means we can easily tag along each other and explore what Melbourne can offer us .

It was a long flight to the land down under. We arrived there early morning of Monday and decided to take a few hours of sleep before setting our system into TOURIST MODE ON.

Across our hotel was a park and a known landmark there which is the Cricket Ground:

Yarra Park

Melbourne Cricket Ground

Closer look at the Cricket Ground

Melbourne Cricket Ground was said to be the 10th largest stadium in the world and the largest in Australia. It's the home of Melbourne Cricket Club. This stadium was the venue of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. This was also used in the 1956 Olympic Games.

The city centre/central city (of Victoria) is walking distance from the cricket ground. There we found some more landmarks like the Flinders Street Station, St. Paul's Cathedral and a lot of shops and restaurants along Swanson Street.

St. Paul's Cathedral, an Anglican Church located diagonally opposite Flinders Street Station

Shuttle for Melbourne visitors! Visit: http://www.city-sightseeing.com/en/tours/australia/melbourne.htm for prices and other info

Flinders Street Station (serving the entire rail network of the metropolis)

 My batchmate and I were looking for St. Patrick's Cathedral which caught our eyes on our way to the hotel (passed by via our shuttle). We believed the way was on the other side of the city that's why we decided to visit it on our second day at Melbourne. 

Sharing some more Melbourne photos (taken on our second day):

Rainy Melbourne! Good thing it was sunny on our first day

I remember I was confused if this was a university or a theatre (someone correct me please *winks*)

Oooh Lala! Pinas! They have that signage on a tram

Finally, a photo of St. Patrick's Cathedral (Catholic Archdiocese)

 

 

 

St. Patrick's Cathedral (located near the city) has a great architecture. I was awed by how it was designed when I saw it. According to the cathedral's website (http://www.cam.org.au/cathedral/Cathedral/Article/13296/Message-of-Welcome):

St Patrick’s is regarded internationally as the finest ecclesiastical building in Australia and a pre-eminent example of the Gothic Revival style. The austere facade gives little hint of the glorious interior with its ethereal golden light of mesmerising beauty.

On our way back to the hotel, we passed by Fitzroy Gardens (named after Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy):

The park was well-taken care of. There was a shop in the middle of it and the doodled-tiles on its entrance (near the city) was hard to ignore.

I liked how we were lodging at an area near the center where there were plenty of shops and restaurants as I would prefer eating outside the hotel since it will help me discover more than the hotel foods can offer. Not to mention it would be cheaper eating out than opting for hotel foods. There were also cheap finds along Swanson Street. I bought a long jacket (enough to keep me warm on cold weather) for 17 AUD. A friend also told me there was a Cotton On outlet store in the city. Too bad I didn't see it. Hopefully on my next flight to MEL :)