Caution: this is a very LONG post... If u like, u can just skip it and scroll down straight to the "mummy tips" or to the pics ;)
Sorry for the delayed blog post... Mr. Hubby finally transferred pics from the camera to his FB!!!
***blame it on the hubs*** LOLs...
It's been 2 months now since our trip and my post pregnancy brains is kinda rusty now, so forgive me if this blog post seems vague! U can still ask me questions though :)
This was quite a last minute trip as mr. Hubby was being sent to sydney for 1 day business trip but we decided to make full use of it and turned it into our vacation + mr. Hubby early bday celebration!!!
Too bad baby Si had to be left behind as this mummy wanted a more "relaxing" trip with just the hubs n baby skye :) no playing favouritism here as baby Skye goes wherever the "milk factory" goes!!! LOLs..
Plus we were ALL gonna go to our FIRST family vacation (just the 4 of us) to Cebu, Philippines a few days after our Sydney trip... ***lessens this mummy's guilt***
Plus we know that she won't be missing us as Po po n gong gong is in the house!!! (Imported them from Malaysia) <~ and no she did not miss us that much as she was having way to much fun!!!
This was baby skye 2nd LONG HAUL flight...read all about his 1st long haul flight to the land of sushi
Places we covered in summary:
1st day: (Friday) arrived noon - mr. Hubby headed straight to work...mummy and baby Skye checked in to hotel, queen Victoria building, n walked around city centre - shopping time!!! (George st, Pitt st mall, WestFields, Strand arcade)...met up mr. Hubby for dinner n dessert
2nd day: free walking tour (3 hrs) which covered CBD, the rocks, circular quay, opera house, sydney harbour bridge, etc
3 hrs flew by quickly as it was an interesting tour even for non historic person like me ;)
We have used the same free walking tour in Amsterdam not once but twice and it was awesome! I suggest you do it on ur first day as it gives u a general idea of where things are and if u like the particular place, you have the rest of days to go back :) please tip generously at the end of the tour if u like it as the tour guides are all volunteers!!!
The Rocks weekend market...
pancakes on the rocks for their awesome pancakes - plz order "THE ULTIMATE"!!! Thanks to a friend for the suggestion ;) wanted to stop by "The Guylian Belgian Chocolate Cafe" but our stomachs were full ...
Evening- Hillsong Church service, chinatown for late dinner at noodle house, darling harbour for fireworks (every Saturday)
3rd day: Sunday is CHEAP PUBLIC TRANSPORT DAY... $2.50 flat fee TOTAL for anywhere and everywhere!!!
So off we went to MANLY beach by ferry, fish n chips, and then headed by bus to BONDI BEACH... Wanted to do the scenic walk along the coastline (congee walk) but it rained heavily!
Fish n chips for dinner again :)
4th day: daddy headed to work half day!
Mummy n baby Skye headed to sydney fish market (yummy oysters), maritime museum, steak for lunch...
Checkout hotel and moved to an airport hotel as next day was a morning flight.
Dinner in hotel restaurant- burger (best burger ever) and pizza!
5th day: bye bye sydney
We left out blue mountain as it required at least half day to 1 day tour as we didn't have enough time and it wasn't on our top to do list!
Don't get me wrong from our itinerary, but there's loads of activity for KIDS (since Sydney is a family oriented place to be) but since Sienna wasn't with us + baby Skye is wayyy too young to know what's going on, we decided to skip! So koalas, kangaroos, etc, we will be back :)
(P/s: I've seen koalas n kangaroos few times before as I've been to Australia many times during my childhood days + when I had my wings on as a flight attendant!)
Things to note:
-Expensive city!!! I felt that things were more pricy than even in Japan...one meal can cost minimum AUD20 and above! Of coz u can get food court meal for AUD10 (fried rice, kebabs, etc)
-There's a Free bus that goes up n down George street (Main Street)...awesome for when your feet gets tired at the end of the day from walking!!! Just take the bus back up :)
-Stay in city centre especially if u have kids- saves u time n hassle! N sneak in power nap...
Overall, mr. Hubby and I both agreed that this was indeed a very nice and chilaxing holiday as the itinerary was just nice...! Not too packed and not too bare...
Do note that in Sydney, most shops close early around 5-6pm...(excluding chinatown and pubs/restaurants)! Actually sydney n Melbourne is not as bad as the rest of Australia....
So we switched gears and ended our days early and rose early in the morning!!!
Mummy tips:
~ be sure to book a bassinet before hand when taking airasiaX.
~ baby Skye did not have any ear pressure problem this time! (THANK GOD)
It helped that the flight was a red eye flight, so all of us got to SLEEP and we were out and about the next day we arrived!
~ public transport is SUPER BABY FRIENDLY! Even on the BUS...
The bus driver even tells everyone to make way as baby is on board! Feels like a VIP as oppose to a hermit crab coz here in spore everyone stares at u coming in with a stroller + baby + toddler + diaper bag + groceries!!!
(Dear SBS transit Singapore: plz take note of this...stroller need NOT be folded on the bus and baby can still be left in stroller...so hassle free!!! Plz adopt this practice here in Singapore :) I have signed the petition for it...)
~ taxi is a NO NO - Just like in JAPAN, never ever step foot into a TAXI...we made a mistake and took the taxi from the airport to the hotel (as mr. Hubby had to dash off to work right away)... The meter ran like water!!! My heart just skipped and my jaw dropped! AUD100 for a 20 mins ride...
This I have to give credit to Singapore as taxis here are cheap and reasonable...
~ no issues using a stroller as EVERYWHERE we went had escalators and lift!
I never once remembered carrying/folding the stroller or carrying baby Skye out...
But I did realized that Aussie mummies/daddies do not use strollers on escalators...and I was given imaginary stares when going on/off the escalator with baby skye!
~baby hair chair is found in all restaurants
~no hot or room temperature water in diaper changing rooms (Baby Skye didn't need any hot water but this breastfeeding mummy needed to fill my water bottle) But since cafes are found everywhere, u can just stop into any one and ask for hot water :)
~we did not use much of the baby changing or nursing rooms as our hotel was right smack in the middle of the city centre...since we started our days bright n early, we would pop by our hotel for a quick power nap + breastfeed + diaper change! Also baby Skye usually goes poo poo once he wakes up in the morning :) TMI
Note: there's a baby changing room in Myer departmental store and basement level of QVB!!!
~by now baby Skye is on SOLID FOOD (unlike purée during our JAPAN trip)... So this trip, since Australia has lots of fruit produce, we stocked up on lots of fruits + yogurt + bread + etc
Do note that seasonal fruits are really cheap!!! 3 containers of strawberries for AUD5, 1 container of pear for AUD 1.99!
~7eleven can be found quite easily if needed but can be a tad pricy! Better to stock up at the supermarkets... But let me tell u 7eleven has the BEST CHOCOLATE MUFFIN and cheapest coffee in town!!! AUD1 for a cappuccino and add AUD1 for the muffin...we "tapao" back the muffins coz of my daily sometime twice daily caffeine fix...
Cafes are everywhere in Sydney but a cup of cappuccino will set u back AUD3.50-5! Tried a few different cafes but For me, the taste of 7eleven was good enough ;)
Sydney pics (on mr. Hubby's FB)
Sydney goodies... Half gone in our tummies N some given to po po n gong gong before this pic was taken!
