Baby moon time!
It is May 2014 now and I am 6 months pregnant with my second little lovely ( a girl yay !)
I couldn't help but plan for last minute holiday while I am still allowed to board a plane! Haha... And after much deliberation, considering how easily I get tired and sleepy, Australia won the vote!
Melbourne this time.
Such a lovely time to visit too. Autumn around 15-20 degree C.
Australia is such an easy choice if you want an easy, fuss free holiday. It is safe, not crowded, The flight is not too long ( compared to Europe or US), it's right side drive, and the people speak English!
And of course very kids friendly.
The hubby likes it too cause I wont be spending a bomb on shopping as Aussie is not a cheap place to shop.
There's no super awesome factory outlets for me to go crazy in and max out the credit card bills.
It's really a trip to spend quality time with your loved ones, with nice weather, crisp air and blue sky.
So I brought my mom as well as the three of us.
Once we landed, we couldn't wait but got for the roast duck. Funny?
Well heard it was good and Aussie ducks are plump and fatty what. So we expect good stuff. After asking around, apparently pacific house bbq was a popular pick.
After we collected our Turquoise Holden SV6, we were on our way to town! (hubby said in Aussie must drive Ausie car. But he got no explanation on why he must choose one with a V6 engine!!!!)
Collection from Hertz just outside the airport was quick and hassle free though.
Of course, he didn't forget to book one with a car seat for Sheldon. Don't play play in Australia. Get a car seat else get fined. You touch your phone while driving and you get fined $200 too! Wow! They should implement in singapore!
We went to check into our apartments ah docklands but alas! We arrived at 6 plus and the reception for the apartment was only openned from 9-6pm.
I booked an apartment through agoda, not bad $300 for 2 bedroom per night and its in Docklands, view was gonna be awesome but.... the check in after hours was a hassle. As I had to call the number agoda gave me and the girl wanted me to sms her a picture of my credit card! (???) That is such a no no. Anyway I was on roaming with no 3G or Wifi how can I send her an sms of a picture?
After much arguing she relented and gave me the pass code anyway. We retrieved the keys from the late check in box. But after we dropped out luggage in the apartment, we were ravenous. Duck time!!!!
We picked the Chinatown branch of pacific bbq and boy did we pay a hefty price for being a noob in finding carpark lot!!!
We couldn't find lot on the roadside or public car park areas so parked in the covered car park in the middle of Downtown - Lonsdale street. And we paid the price. $13 AUD for an hour to be exact as it was a flat fee.
Zzzzzzzz....
And how about the duck?
Sadly, it fell short of our expectations as we have had better ones in Auckland, (No.1 bbq) and of course London ( Gold Mine and Four Seasons).
But Sheldon finished his rice and duck skin! Haha spat out the meat though as usual. Still a picky eater.
When we were back to the apartments, we managed to go to the supermarkets just downstairs at docklands ( closed at 11 pm), and bought some supplies : milk, bread, butter, cheese, yogurt, honey, etc)
And the next morning, we were greeted by the most awesome view ever.
View of the harbour and a freshly cooked breakfast by my mom! This is why you bring your mom for holidays ahhaha!
So what shall we do on the first day?
It was a Saturday, so off to the market we go. Queen Vic Market is famous and they are open on weekends and certain other days within the week only.
Bustling and interesting, my mom seemed to be having the most fun.
" Wowwww.... nice meat.. wow look at the lamb chops.. so pink. Wow.... the veggie so fresh and green.. wow so pretty !!!"
Sounds like me in a shoe shop!
We had some of their famous bratwurst hotdog too from the bratwurst stall. It has a long queue. Apparently, eversince this stall was bought over by a PRC family, the standard has dropped, the sausages have become smaller. But we weren't complaining. They were good enough!
Sheldon was busy asking for Lollies, macaroons and chocolates, the market has such an array of delectable sweet goodies.
He also picked up a new hobby. photography! He has been borrowing his daddy's DSLR and took some pics!
Some of the pics pretty nice too!
Let me show you some of his masterpiece:
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Not too bad for a 3 1/2 yr old at all!
:)
Sadly his eczema flared up again during the trip. Always happens when we go to somewhere colder and drier. But we do being his creams everywhere (eversince the sudden flare up in Spain) so it was easier to handle this time.
So what else to eat in Melbourne.
In Perth I saw Chinese restaurant aplenty. But in Melbourne, I saw Vietnamese pho place everywhere !!!
Well the beef is fresh from Aussie itself too so we better try.
Heard this place is good for pho. It is in Richmond, an area in East Melbourne where all the Pho cafés line up.
And the verdict was : Good!!!! Hubby was happy!
Sheldon had some of our rice noodle too.
Noodle is always easy for kids.
After dinner, there wasn't much to do.
As you know Melbourne, just like other Aussie cities, close down by dinner time. Shops are all closed. Unless you're talking supermarket. .
With a tummy happily full of pho, we walked along the pier at docklands after dinner.
Awesome view.
There was music thumping from the bars too. I heard hip hop and retro. Wew, if I wasn't pregnant I would have jumped in.
We had an early night. Everyone should. Cause you should start your day early in Aussie else by 6 pm you cant do finish your itinerary anymore.
It was Sunday the next day and we decided to go West---- to the Famous Great Ocean Road!
We also found a koala sanctuary along the way, near Geelong.
So we made a pit stop there too.
We took out our sanwiches and had a picnic in the sanctuary. Sheldon was so excited.
He took some lovely pics here as well:
Love the blanket picture ! So nice! Where did he learn to take such nice pics! ^_^
As usual he was busy running around asking us what's this what's that. He probably enjoyed the sanctuary the most:)
After picnic, we moved on.
Great ocean road is very very long, to complete the whole stretch, probably you will have to stay overnight.
We aimed to go up to Apollo Bay and then turn around ( about 100+ km away from Geelong), but we gave up halfway as it was getting dark around 5, and we were all tired. Boo!!
We managed to take some nice photoes at the AngleSea lookout though.
Prepped up on a hill, it had bird's eye view.
Blue sky blue sky everywhere.
So, we made a turn around and headed back to town.... looking for Chinese food!
Haizzz... such Cheena people cant love without rice.
We ended up in Footscray area ( lots of free parking after 630 or 730 along roadside like Richmond) , this time it is West of Melbourne but very near to Docklands.
Here along Hopkins street, you will also find plenty Pho places and some Chinese restaurants. So after much googling and urbanspoon-ing ( Australia's hungrygowhere), we ended up at hongkong bbq.
I had their beef tomato with rice. An old favourite of mine, when I was a student in UK. Hmmm.. good stuff.
Footscray area has less choice for restaurants compared to Richmond though. But an alternative anyway.
The next day we decided to go downtown again. But this time we tried to be smarter!
We are not gonna pay for $8 and hour carpark!
I read that if you visit Melbourne aquarium you can get a rebate for carpark so that your carpark fee will be a mere $10 whole day. Oh whee!!!
So we parked right opposite the aquarium - 474 Flinders.
But the price to pay? - the walk to china town! It was uphill and it was about 15-20 mins. 😳😓😳😓😳
Up from Flinders street to Collins street to Bourke street and then Little Bourke Street.
Anyway we managed to find the unmistakable red chinatown gates. Finally!
We were so hungry by the time we got to Chinatown that I just picked the first decent looking dim sum restaurant we saw ( against urbanspoon's advice),
and boy were we disappointed!!!!
It was absolutely horrible!
Dragon boat restaurant was a no no. Young waiter with bleached hair was acting cool and cold.
Fried dim sum was cold and lau hong.
Steamed dishes all smelled of frozen meats.
Sad that they had to resort to that, in a land of fresh ingredients.
Anyway, the day has to go on. While me and mom went around chinatown and downtown- waddling along Bourke Street, Collins Street, Hubby took Sheldon to the aquarium.
Not only Sheldon enjoyed his time in Aquarium, the carpark, from $66 total became $10, thanks to aquarium!
If I live in Melbourne and wanna find cheap parking downtown, think I will buy aquarium tickets everyday (just $30), still better than paying $8 per hour!!
We ventured downtown somemore and then we searched for a good bowl of soup noodle. Shiok in cold weather!!
Ramen it is!!
Those who miss home food by now, can go to the shop next to Ramen Ya at bourke street - it is Killiney kopitiam!!!! Sls chilli crab too!
Shiok shiok. Sheldon finished his ramen all by himself too!!!
I was kind of running out of places to go the next day but then realised we haven't visited the beach. So Port Melbourne it is. Today is the day to go angmoh. Do it the Aussie style! No more Chinese food!
You can park along Beach Street at Port Melbourne to visit the beach and the playground. Cost about $5-6 an hour if I am not wrong.
So no Chinese food today! Fish and Chips it is!
Urbanspoon suggested this place, rating so high at 91%
I was shocked it wasn't crowded.
But fish was fresh!!! Waiter was so nice friendly too! Awesome. And Sheldon had his favourite fries.
They had this fried thing called dim sim ( yeap! not dim sum), it turned out to this fried siu may thingy. ( its that round tube thing in the middle of the plate of fish and chips).
Not bad la, but is this an Aussie-Chinese thing??
Pretty funny!
After fish and chips, somehow we were tired so we just went back and everyone took a nap. So awesome to go free and easy. Especially when travelling with your kid. No fixed schedule to follow. 👍
At night we still wanted to do somemore angmoh stuff.
So....What to eat?
Heard the Italian food here is very authentic. So we visited Carlton, the little Italy of Melbourne.
Wow whole stretch of Lygon street was lined with gelato parlours and Italian eatery.
So again- urbanspoon time again- it recommended us to try "Il Cantuccio".
Apparently means "the corner" or something like that.
How about the food?
It was amazing!! The portions were huge too so we ended up sharing- so at AUD$23-26 per portion, it wasn't expensive.
Cannelloni was nice, pasta was all al Dente, not too soft or soggy. Chewy just the way I like it.
Their carbonara had no cream ( apparently the true Italian style), but only Egg and cheese. And yes another winner.
Vegetable Minestrone was surprisingly good too!
Basically very happy with the Italian food in Melbourne!!! Service was good too and when I wanted to tip they didnt even have a tip box. Is there any tipping culture here at all? Cause service charge was not included.
Anyway, still very very happy.
Just one thing we missed out this trip- a good Aussie beef steak. hmmm
next time then.
We had to fly home the next morning.
Hubby was happy to find out the pho place downstairs our apartment opens ah 6.30 am so we da-bao ed banh mi and pho and kept our fingers crossed.
Not sure if they will be edible.
Surprising!! They were both very good!! Wow!
Anyway holiday has ended and it was time to go home! :(
We are sure to miss the awesome views from the balcony, the fresh crisp air, he blue sky and chilly weather.
Sheldon definitely enjoyed the trip.
Renting an apartment was a great idea.
It was easy to make him food, milk and he had more room to run around.
Thanks to the cold weather, he slept easily everyday and for longer hours too!!!
Well, till next time Australia!!! We will be missing you!
