Australia Travelogue 2000:
Family High In The Land Down Under

By Angelica Bautista Viloria, angel@viloria.com, http://www.viloria.com

Looking for Angel Viloria's Australia Travelogue with photos and nice graphics?
It's at http://www.geocities.com/mviloria/australia

Contents At A Glance

01- Introduction, Visa Requirements

"There is a tendency to see only the happiness in other lives. But this is folly, for every life has its own merits."
-From the cartoon "Gargoyles," viewed on May 5, 2000 at Marriott Resort Surfers Paradise

I knew we would learn something from this trip. See, our family had to go all the way to the land down under, just to hear this line which should inspire us for the rest of our days, no matter what.

I have always been a firm believer in travel being an enriching and educational experience. The travel bug (no relation to the I love you bug) bit me when I was about 11 years old, when my own parents took me for my first trip to Japan. I enjoyed travelling with the family a lot that I vowed I would let my kids experience the same thing.

My son, Adi, is now more than 3 years old. Since 1995, I have been plotting (and visualizing) to be in Australia in the year 2000. It doesn't have to be during the Olympics. The year 2000 was just my year to be down under. Last April 28-May 6, my family was off to Australia for our annual vacation. The principle of what the mind can conceive, the body can achieve has again been demonstrated in our lives, happily, more frequently lately.

In the next few write-ups, which will be available in the next few days, I will be sharing with you our Australian trip experience. Families considering a trip to the land down under may use these as guides to planning their own vacations. Our Australian trip was a truly enjoyable experience. Yes, even with and particularly with a three-year old. Hop on board!

Preparing for the trip

The first thing I learned from this vacation was that it is good to plan early. It saves you a lot of stress. We started to put things together in February and got all our papers on April 26, two days before our trip. So, if you want to save yourself some worrying, it is best to fix everything about 4 months before.

It is good to have a passport ready for your kid, whether you plan to go anywhere or not. So, should a travel opportunity suddenly pop up, you're ready to go. Travel agencies will usually charge you P1,000-P1,500 to process your passports. Passport processing can be done in 3 modes: Normal (which takes about 1 month), Rush (two weeks and in my case, it also took a month), and Expedite (5 days). The faster you want your passport, the bigger the fee.

In applying for your kid's passport, it is easier to have the mother's passport accompany it. Otherwise, you will still have to make an affidavit stating that the mother is allowing the kid to travel alone with the father. Travel agents will also handle getting the authenticated birth and marriage certificates from the Census for you and will just charge you a fee of about P200-P250 per.

To apply for a visa, you can go to the Australian embassy personally or have your travel agent handle it for you. Should you personally decide to go the the embassy, you'll probably spend half a day there and pay the fee of P1,500. A travel agent will charge you a P2,000 fee and will take care of everything from their end. A personal appearance will only be necessary should some things need further clarification.

In applying for a visa you will need the following:
  1. Your latest Income Tax Return;

  2. Bank certifications proving that you have enough funds to support you during your stay in Australia;

  3. A school certification stating that your kid is a bona fide student at his/her school and that he/she is enrolled for the present or coming schoolyear;

  4. Certifications from your employer stating: your salary, your approved number of days and period for your leave, that you have a job to return to after your trip; and

  5. Travel insurance. We got ours from Blue Cross and it cost us about P600+ (US$15) per person for 9 days. There are more expensive insurance packages available from other companies but this should not be necessary.
Having done all these, you should be off and vacationing. We were off to Australia on April 28, and you should read about the rest of the trip in the next portions. We will try to give you some indications as to which attractions we enjoyed the most. Stay tuned.

02 - Off To Australia, Adi's Plane Ride

The flight to Sydney (from Manila) leaves at 9:10pm and arrives in Sydney at past six the next morning. Adi was really looking forward to this trip to Australia that he has continuously been chanting: "I want to go to Australia" since February.

We were off to the airport at about 6pm. Adi was excited about boarding the plane. When he saw our car which would take us to the airport, a look of disappointment was on his face while he asked: "Where's the plane?"

I had to explain to him very patiently that we had to go to the airport first. "Where's the airport?" "Where's Manila?" "Where's the Philippines?" "Where's Asia?" "Where's the world?" I guess you have an idea how my trip to the airport went.

We took Qantas all the way to Australia and back (Is it true that Qantas never crashed as Dustin Hoffmann would say in Rainman?). They're very punctual. We arrived on time every time (we took about 4 plane trips) and the plane would always leave within 10-15 minutes of the scheduled time. Their food is pretty good although on the flight to Sydney, we had to ask for water about three times and still didn't get any. Why is it that the stewardesses only regularly offer you coffee or tea everytime?

For kids on board, the stewardess would give a Max Pack. This is a knapsack (with the character Max, of course) with various things inside to entertain children. Adi's Max Pack had some playing cards, a Taking Off with Max activity book (with mazes, pages to color, dot-to-dot activities, stickers), colored pencils, and the Long Flight Board game. We didn't have to bring books and toys after all. Anyway, better safe than sorry.

It was a long flight, more than 7 hours to be exact. As the plane was taking off, Adi kept asking: "Is it up?" As the plane was ascending, Adi still kept asking: "Is it up?" "Is it up?" For quite some time, I kept saying: "Not yet". As soon as the plane was cruising at its regular altitude, Adi again asked: "Is it up?" To which I answered: "Yes." Adi looked at me and then cleverly replied: "I want to go down." This was going to be one fun trip. I already knew it.

03 - Sydney Wonderland Themepark, Olympic Park Aquatic Center, Charcoal Mine Restaurant (Parramatta)

First Stop: Wonderland
Rating: 3 kangaroos - Hop on to this immediately

The first place we visited in Sydney was Wonderland, a wildlife park and themepark in one. Kids below 4 years old get in for free while adults are charged AU$78 each (roughly P1,950). This amount already allows you to enter the wildlife park and themepark.

We particularly liked the wildlife park. We enjoyed seeing the penguins, the laughing kookabura, an echidna, and of course, the koalas and the kangaroos. I must have been a koala in a past life. Koalas hardly move and just appear so sleepy and lethargic from munching on all those eucalyptus leaves. They appear not to want to do anything. What a life!

We also had the chance to see kangaroos "with pouch young." I always thought kangaroos were big (there are such types, standing about 5 feet tall, I am told) but the ones we saw were very small (they looked like big rats) and yet they had joeys peeking out of their pouches. It was so entertaining to see!

The other part of Wonderland is a themepark where they have all sorts of rides and roller coasters. Adi particularly enjoyed Hanna Barbera Land, with attractions suited to kids his age. He rode the carousel, drove the stone age cars at Dinos' Derby, and amused himself with the Hall of Mirrors where you can see yourself upside down, super-thin. There was also a lunchtime show called "Yogi Bear's Picnic." Adi saw characters like Yogi Bear, Fred Flintstone, Snagglepuss, and CaveMan dancing, singing and appearing in a 20-minute presentation.

During your visit to Wonderland, also be on the look-out for characters walking around for a photo opportunity. Adi had the chance to be photographed with Muttley (from Wacky Races).

We had lunch at The Outback. Our meal cost us AU$42.50 or roughly P354 per person. This already included one order and drink per individual. The place serves very good strawberry shakes.

The servings are not too large. A three-year old kid, though, can get by just sharing his parents' meals instead of ordering something for himself separately. We had spinach fetuccine, Australian seafood platter, and the Gold Rush Kiddy Meal.

My husband enjoyed the sour cream and salmon combination of his spinach fetuccine. It had a lightly spicy, tomato-based sauce and al dente green fetuccine pasta. My seafood platter was also quite good. It had breaded squid rings, fish, prawns, scallops, and kani sticks and they were not the least bit oily. It also came with loads of french fries which Adi enjoyed.

The Kiddy Meal called Gold Rush had chicken nuggets, french fries (also) and came with a carbonated soft drink and dessert. Dessert was three scoops of solidly smooth vanilla ice cream, with a choice of chocolate, strawberry, or banana syrup.

We had fun at Wonderland, particularly at the Wildlife Park. Also, don't worry about losing your way. There's a sign and a desk, I guess, which takes care of "Lost Parents."

Second Stop: The Olympic Park's Aquatic Center
Rating: 2 Kangaroos - worth hopping onto also

At about 4 pm, we then were on our way to The Olympic Park or Homebush as they call it, the site of the 2000 Olympics. We just went to the International Aquatic Center where the swimming events will be held. The pools are open for use by the public, upon paying the entrance fee.

Adi had fun transferring from the kiddie pool , to the other pools, as there are several to choose from. The walk from the dressing rooms to the pool can be quite chilly (what with the airconditioning) so be sure to bring thick towels or a robe. The water is also quite cold so Adi was already shivering after only a few seconds of getting wet. Still, Adi loves the water so he could not care less about his teeth chattering or his knees shaking.

There's also a sauna that parents can use, again after paying a fee upon entry.

It was a fun-filled swimming afternoon for Adi, at the site of the year 2000 Olympic Games.

Third Stop: Charcoal Mine Restaurant
Rating: 2 kangaroos - worth hopping onto also

This is located in Parramatta, the commercial and business district of the Western suburbs. It is a Korean restaurant where customers can cook their own beef, chicken, liver, pork, squid, and other seafood. There is a lot of variety in the ingredients that can be chosen and there are also vegetables and several sauces which can go with meats and seafood.

The place was packed on a Saturday evening. This is a good place for people who are not that hungry (yet) and who would like to do the cooking themselves.

04 - The Sydney Opera House, Silver Spring Resto, Paddy's Market, St. Mary's Cathedral and the Archibald Fountain at Hyde Park

We spent Sunday morning sleeping. Remember, we were on the plane Friday night and already seeing some of the sights the whole of Saturday. We were pooped.

We finally got to leave the flat where we were staying at about 11am.

First Stop: The Opera House
Rating: 3 kangaroos - Hop on to this immediately

This has got to be the most recognized structure in Sydney. I always thought it was solidly and smoothly white but up close, you see a shell or tile-like design. The Opera House is located in the Circular Quay. The walk to see this structure is very relaxing. On the day we were there, it was quite windy, very sunny, so we enjoyed seeing the seagulls, the yachts, the water. It was a nice place to be. There was even a band performing, that a number of people had already started to gather on the Opera House steps. There were also stalls selling costume jewelry, charcoal drawings, among others. Sydney is a beautiful city and the Opera House location is a perfect place to realize this.

From the Opera House, you can also see the Harbour Bridge clearly. We were quite happy just having our photo taken with the bridge in the background. Now for more adventurous souls, you may even want to find yourself on top of the bridge for even more fantastic views (they say) of the city. In which case, you can do the Bridge Climb!

There are also street performers once in awhile. We managed to see this person, standing like a statue, with a silver costume and silver paint all over. My son, Adi, looked at the statue quite suspiciously. For a few coins, you can take your picture with the statue and you even get a lollipop. My Sydney-based friend tells me that these street performers need to get a permit from the City Council.

Second Stop: Silver Spring, 1st Floor, Sydney Central, Corner Hay and Pitt Streets
Rating: 2 kangaroos - worth hopping onto also

This restaurant is highly recommended by the DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, considering both food quality and price. It was no surprise then, Chinese-food lover that my family was, that we would seek this place out.

Our meal cost us more than P350 per person (about US$9) for about 10 types of dimsum orders, which is really quite reasonable. Our orders included several kinds of dumplings, chicken feet, congee, shrimp with tofu, siopao, and dessert. The food is okay but China Bistro, in Libis (in the Philippines), still tops it, though prices are slightly higher.

Eating at Silver Spring also gives you the feeling of being lost in China or Taiwan. Very few of the waiters and waitresses speak English so you're reduced to looking and pointing to choose your food. There was one waiter who understood English quite well although after awhile, he probably wished he didn't. We started asking him for a teaspoon for Adi, for Coke, for water, one at a time. Well, being a waiter is one of the most stressful jobs in the world so what could we do?

I needed to go the bathroom so I stopped by before we left Silver Spring. As is true for most of Australia, there were three choices: Ladies, Men's, and Parent's Room. Most of the establishments and even the public toilets in Australia would have a bathroom especially for parents with babies or small kids. There is a contraption attached to the wall which you can pull down and you can use this as your changing table for your baby. Can't they have these in the Philippines too? Calling the Department of Tourism. Better yet, calling the malls and other establishments.

Most of the public toilets I went to were quite clean, with toilet paper and liquid soap to boot. Oh well.

Third Stop: Paddy's Market
Rating: 2 kangaroos - worth hopping onto also

After lunch, it was time to go to a tiangge (flea market)-type of place, Paddy's Market. This place, which is only open Fridays to Sundays, sells a wide variety of items. This is the place to go to should you want to buy some souvenir items to bring home to your relatives, friends, and officemates.

Allot about one to two hours for going around. You'll find some interesting t-shirts, stuffed toys, paper and stationery, and even food items.

Fourth Stop: St. Mary's Cathedral and the Archibald Fountain at Hyde Park
Rating: 2 kangaroos - worth hopping onto also

The last Sunday mass at St. Mary's was at 6pm so we had time to spare. This allowed us to take some photos of the cathedral's Gothic design and also to relax and rest near the Archibald Fountain at Hyde Park. The Archibald Fountain is said to commemorate the French and Australian World War 1 alliance. Adi had fun watching the doves in the area and just enjoying the greenery from the trees around.

St. Mary's is a Jubilee church so we found ourselves very fortunate to be able to hear mass there. Adi was quite excited, or so he seemed, and was quite noisy all throughout the mass. Covering his mouth to tone down his voice didn't work (as my husband belatedly found out) as Adi only increased the volume of his muffled voice even more. For once I was glad I was not in the Philippines. In the church that we usually go to in Manila, at Adi's slightest noise, people would turn around, look for the source of the noise, in most cases, Adi, and generally, appear a bit annoyed. At St. Mary's, no one dared turn around and look at us. The few who did, had smiles rather than irritated expressions on their faces. God bless their souls. Maybe, it's a culture thing.

After mass, it was time to go home. In Sydney, we stayed at the Renaissance Hotel. It has a good location, just a few streets (a 5 minute walk, probably) from Circular Quay (pronounced key) where you can already take the ferries to just about anywhere.

Renaissance was a good hotel for us. Try their Vegetarian Lasagne and strawberry thick shakes. They also have a good dinner buffet at Crayons (similar to Philippine Plaza's Café Fiesta, before, where kids can draw on the cartolina on the tables with the crayons provided), with very fresh seafood like smoked salmon, prawns, and squid. As for the breakfast buffet, well, it was the same thing everyday, so after awhile it gets kind of tiring. I wonder why they don't vary it a bit, daily, at least.

We also met some nice Filipinos working in the hotel. Cynthia, who was serving at Crayons, already had an Aussie-accent speaking in English, but still sounded very Pinoy with her Tagalog. Well, Filipinos can be very flexible and hard-working. That's why we've survived.

05 - Nature Tripping at the Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains Tour
Rating: 3 kangaroos - hop on to this immediately

The whole of Monday, May 1, was spent for Blue Mountains. The tour was handled by AAT Kings. It was okay, over-all, although it could have been more organized in terms of not having to transfer buses at Star City; the lining up to get into the bus where the end of the line became the start of the line; and also being on time, instead of starting 15 minutes late.

Aside from those minor inconveniences, we enjoyed our tour. The bus had a toilet so we didn't have to worry about Adi suddenly wanting to go to the bathroom during the 1 and 1/2 to 2 hour drive. The driver was something else too. He also doubled as the tour guide. Now that requires talent. Keeping your eye on the road and remembering your script for the tourists onboard is no mean feat. My hubby, Manuel, for one, would never make it as a tour guide cum driver.

On the way to Blue Mountains, we passed by a residential area called Leura Garden Village. Our tour guide tells us that yearly, residents in the area have a Garden Festival and neighbors and tourists can go inside the individual houses to see how the owners have spruced their gardens up. It's some sort of contest that the residents look forward to.

May is autumn time in Australia so during the drive, we enjoyed looking at the trees with bright yellow, orange, and red leaves.

The first stop was Leura Cascade. It was refreshing to see all sorts of trees and plants, streams, and waterfalls up in the mountains. It was not as cold as we expected. The weather was perfect, probably at about 17 degrees Celsius. We had some time to do some walking and exploring on our own, afterwhich we came together in a picnic area for morning tea. There was milk, coffee, tea, and very yummy oatmeal cookies.

After awhile, we were onboard the bus again, making our way towards Echo Point, where you could see the 3 Sisters and the Jamison Valley. This is known as Australia's mini-Grand Canyon. The driver/tourguide told us about the legend of the 3 Sisters. There was a father with a magic bone who would turn his daughters into stone in case of danger. Once, to save his daughters from a monster, he turned them into stone and turned himself into a bird. The father, however, who was now a bird, dropped the bone, so they say that he's still in the area, looking for the bone. His daughters on the other hand are waiting for their father to come back so they can be brought back to normal. In the meantime, they have to put up with all these tourists who wish to take their pictures!

Why is the place called Blue Mountains? There are a lot of eucalyptus trees in the area and when light hits the oil coming from these trees, a blue haze appears. Hence, the name Blue Mountains. Blue Mountains would be located in a place called Katoomba, an aboriginal word meaning "Place of many waterfalls." Hmm, I wonder, were the aborigines Filipinos? "Tumba" in Filipino also means "to fall."

Our tourguide also taught us the meanings of other words. How "kangaroo" roughly translates to: "I do not know" and "koala" to: "I do not drink." Koalas, hardly drink and just rely on the liquid that they get from the eucalyptus leaves.

After Echo Point, we moved on to lunch. It was served buffet style. The food was pretty good but not distinctly Australian. Having finished eating, we went into the Maxvision Theater to view "The Edge," a documentary on the Blue Mountains and a tribute to the bushwalkers focused on preserving and safeguarding the area. The theater had the biggest screen I have ever seen, starting from the ceiling all the way down to the floor. The screen is constructed and the film is shown in such a way, that you get the feeling that you are actually part of the scene. The Edge is a straight documentary. Did you know that there are plants/trees known as the Wallaby Pine in the Blue Mountains and these have survived since the time of the dinosaurs? Isn't that amazing?

We initially had some misgivings about watching the film with Adi. The theater was going to be dark and we really did not know what to expect. We decided to take the chance since we could sit near the exit, anyway, and request the attendants to let us out should Adi cry. He sat through the entire thing though. He even pretended to be flying in some parts of the film.

The last stop at Blue Mountains was the Scenic Railway. At this point, you can ride the steepest railway in the world (as all their promotional materials say) or take the cable car. We chose to take the Railway, with Adi. As the Railway started to move slowly down towards a dark cave, the girls in the row in front of us began screaming and screaming. I was holding Adi and after we went through the dark cave, I turned to look at him. He had a smile frozen on his face. I asked him if he was alright and he said softly: "Yes." Trying to look cool (but failing), he said: "It's like a rollercoaster." Thank goodness for places like Dreamscape in the Philippines. You go back the same way up, once you've reached the end of the railway, only in reverse. All in all, the ride takes about 10-15 minutes, both ways. I really didn't think it was scenic as you focus on just staying in your seat as you go through a drop at an angle of 52 degrees. For experience, though, the ride is still worth taking.

There's a gift shop right at the entrance and exit to the scenic railway. I was able to buy some packs of Honey Eucalyptus hard candy and some koala gummies in an attractive can to bring home. They both tasted yummy, I should have bought more. Oh well.

It was a nature-filled day at Blue Mountains. We had fun. Adi enjoyed it so much that on the bus ride home, he entertained his co-passengers with a 15-minute medley of his favorite songs. "Old McDonald had a farm. We're going to the zoo. Baa-baa black sheep." I hope the other people had fun too.

06 - Taronga Zoo, Writers' Walk at Circular Quay, Sydney Aquarium, Lobster Cave Resto, AMP Tower

It was a rainy Tuesday morning in Sydney but that was not enough to dampen Adi's spirits. The gloomy weather was enough though to make us panic and buy an umbrella off one of those small stores at Circular Quay, for a whopping AU$33 (about P825), something we would never dream of doing in Manila, land of the free corporate umbrellas.

"We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo. How about you, you, you? You can too, too, too. We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo." Do you know how that song goes? If you don't, then you have got to meet my son, Adi, since he sings this so cutely. Anyway.

First Stop: Taronga Zoo
Rating: 2 kangaroos - worth hopping on to also

We bought a Zoo Pass for AU$21 each (about P525) and this includes the roundtrip ferry ride from Wharf 2 (one way takes about 15 minutes), the bus ride to and from the zoo, as well as the entrance fee. Kids below four years old can get a ride and get in for free. The ferries come and go at 30-minute intervals.

When you get to Taronga Zoo, make sure you get a map, for which you will be asked to make a small donation. The Zoo is really big (it's quite overwhelming, to say the least) that you may get lost if you don't get hold of a map. Allot about two hours, if you have previously been to the Wildlife Park, since you can just choose which animals to see. If you are intent though on seeing everything, four hours may give you enough time.

Some of the attractions were under renovation (as a lot of things were in Sydney), most probably since they expect more tourists during the Sydney Olympics. The signs were also a bit confusing since as you find yourself following some of them (to the bears, for example), they just disappear and you cannot find any follow-through.

We noticed that some of the attractions had corporate sponsors. They had companies or brands like Mentos or Johnson Wax, supporting particular attractions. I wonder, can Filipino corporations do the same for the Manila Zoo?

We enjoyed seeing an echidna, the giraffes, dingos, Chester, the White Tiger (who looked beige or ecru and not white, to me), the flamingos, the hippos, the lions, and the bongo. My favorites though, were the meerkats, who were so active digging tunnels and hugging each other. They were such a joy to watch! By the way, where were the birds in the Bird Rainforest? We didn't get to see any.

Meerkats hugging in the sand.

Didn't realize how tunnel-digging, fast-bounding meerkats can also be affectionate towards each other. And no, it wasn't very cold that day. These are just some of the numerous animals you'll probably see for the first time in Australia.

Second Stop: Writers' Walk, Circular Quay
Rating: 2 kangaroos - worth hopping on to also

I had been searching for this since the weekend. As we were walking from Wharf 2 to Wharf 4, I suddenly looked down, and there it was. Writers' Walk consists of a series of plaques (round ones), where Australian writers, and some guest writers too, note their observations about Australia. This may not be too interesting for people who don't care much about reading books nor about writing but to someone like me, who dreams of eventually getting into writing seriously, walking on Writers' Walk or even finding it accidentally, can be taken as a sign to pursue that dream of really writing sometime soon.

Thea Astley (b. 1925) - "Queensland isn't the home of the tall yarn. It's where the tall yarn happens, acted out on a stage where, despite its vastness, the oddballs see and recognize each other across the no-miles and wave their understanding." - Being A Queenslander (1976)

"Thea Astley was born and educated in Brisbane. Her relationship with Northern Queensland and Catholicism is strongly present in her work. She has won the Patrick White Award the Miles Franklin Award (three times). Her works include The Acolyte (1972) and It's Raining in Mango (1988)."
- Engraved on the pavement plaque set by the NSW Ministry for the Arts

Third Stop: Sydney Aquarium
Rating: 3 kangaroos - hop on to this immediately

After the Zoo Pass, we were off to buy an Aquarium Pass this time. It costs AU$19.20 each (about P480). Again, this includes the roundtrip ferry ride (one way takes about 20 minutes, with about four stops) and the entrance itself.

We liked the Sydney Aquarium. It is very organized and orderly. It is laid-out in such a way that there is no way for you to miss out on anything. Allot about two hours, for the entire aquarium.

After two failed attempts, we finally saw a platypus. A platypus, I suppose, is a nocturnal animal so it was quite dark at the Wildlife Park and at the zoo. It was so dark, in fact, that we didn't get to see the platypus. The lighting at the aquarium was just right that we finally caught a glimpse of the duck-like animal swimming.

My personal favorites at the aquarium were: the Giant Crab, the quick-swimming seals (that you really get to see upclose), the old wife ( a type of fish whose dorsal fins contain some poison), the moon jellyfish (so tiny, so transparent, so relaxing to look at), the neon-colored blue seastar (imagine a bright blue starfish), the yellow eel (also called banana peel), the manta rays, and the Great Barrier Reef where there were really very colorful fish (i.e. bright fushcia, a fish showing gradations of different colors, the blue tang). There were also touch pools where kids can touch some of the sea urchins, etc. There were also quizzes (i.e. questions on the walls and one can choose and see the correct answers) which the visitors can try. For example, one can guess which of the pictures show a male or female fish.

Silent and graceful manta ray

The manta ray glides majestically. In the Ibalong, an ancient Filipino folk epic fragment, we read accounts of winged sharks. Could this be an attempt to describe manta rays during those ancient times?

The Sydney Aquarium really is worth going to. Adi enjoyed it, particularly the touch pools.

Fourth Stop: The Lobster Cave
20 Loftus St., Circular Quay
Rating: 3 kangaroos - hop on to this immediately

We were hungry and were looking for another restaurant recommended by our guidebook. We discovered though that the restaurant had closed shop. Nearby though, was the Lobster Cave and so we decided to give it a try.

To get to the actual restaurant, you will have to go down a flight of stairs, after entering. Downstairs, inside, is a cozy place which serves very good food. The chef is Japanese and so are the nice and pleasant owners who also help out in serving customers. This restaurant is frequented almost exclusively by Japanese tourists.

From start to finish, we were happy with our dinner. We started out with pumpkin soup. It was the right temperature, very tasty and had some very fresh shrimp. Without our telling them, they also split our order into two.

After, we had the scampi and spinach in cream sauce. There was a nice contrast between the very tasty cream sauce and the tangy tomato-based sauce used with the veggies. For our main dish, we had pasta, seafood spaghetti and spaghetti with forest mushrooms. The pasta was cooked al dente. The seafood spaghetti had very fresh shrimp, fish, squid, and octopus. The one with mushrooms had a clean, healthy, fresh taste, and had bamboo shoots and five kinds of mushroom.

For dessert, there's only one choice: ice cream with berries. Very yummy. It had vanilla ice cream, on a waffle cone, with berries and syrup on top.

Our dinner cost us about AU$42 per head (P1,050) but it was well worth it. I don't think they could serve bad food there, even if they tried.

Fifth Stop: The AMP Tower
Rating: 1 kangaroo - hop on to this only if you have extra time

This was another attraction which was undergoing some renovation. After dinner, with a full tummy, we walked to the AMP Tower. Adi had fun, looking through all the binoculars. At least I saw the rooftop of Queen Victoria's Building. Imagine, I didn't get to do any shopping on this trip? I didn't get to set foot in any mall. Well, all the more reason to return.

It was okay looking at all the lights from up in the Tower. It's not much different though, once you've been to other similar towers in other countries.

At least Adi got an AMP Kit, which includes some colored pencils, an activity book, all centered around Seymour (as in "see more," I guess), the mascot of AMP.

Entrance fee is AU$20 or P250 each.

07 - Brisbane, Gold Coast

We stayed at Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort. It's a very nice hotel (sort of reminds me of Shangri-la Mactan, in Cebu, in the Philippines). They have a series of native-looking, fan-like contraptions on the ceiling, which are very relaxing to watch. They have several pools, which guests can enjoy, including a lagoon with sand, and even fish which you can see when you go snorkeling. The breakfast buffet, though, also does not change from day to day.

My in-laws have very good friends living in Brisbane. Tita Edna drove all the way to Gold Coast (one way takes about an hour) to see us. She brought us to Brisbane where we went around a bit although the time really didn't allow us to see much.

We went to visit City Hall, where Adi posed in front of the Petrie Tableau, with the kangaroos. Tita Edna also pointed out the hotel where General Douglas McArthur stayed and the building where he planned his Pacific campaign. As Gen. McArthur said: "I shall return." And so, we shall also return to Brisbane, one of these days.

We saw Tita Edna and Tito Lito's house and their dogs, Peewee and Tara. Peewee and Tara looked suspiciously at Adi, sniffing him once in awhile. They looked jealous. I think they thought a new pet had come to stay.

We had dinner at Redlands Sports Club (did I remember right?) where they have a good buffet. The choice of food is quite varied (e.g. salads, meats, Chinese food, several desserts) so we enjoyed ourselves.

To Tita Edna, Tito Lito, and also to their son, Lester, thank you for spending time with us. Tita Edna, by the way, is a healer. You may visit her Holy Heal web site. She also accepts healing requests via e-mail. All you need to do is give her the name of the person or animal, and some basic information with regard to what they're suffering from. They will then be included in a "healing book." It was an interesting drive to Brisbane. You don't get to talk about "things not happening by chance," "programming," "healing," and the soul too often.

08 - MovieWorld

Movie World: Our Kind of World
Rating: 3 kangaroos - hop on to this immediately

This is one of the best theme parks I have been to. It's big enough to be interesting yet small enough to be manageable and not too overwhelming. Adi enjoyed himself a lot and if you were to ask him which was his favorite place in Australia, he would say: Movie World, without a doubt.

Before we write about the attractions that we saw and enjoyed, here are some other things which you may want to read through:

Check out your Movie World Map and note the attractions that you wish to see. Other features (like the Looney Tunes Star Parade, the alley where you can have your picture taken with Batman, Pokemon headquarters where Pikachu appears) have specific times so it would be a good idea to check out the schedules first so you can plan your day.

Make sure you get your kid a "showbag." Showbags cost about AU$14.95 (about P374) and these feature certain characters with various items inside. We got Adi a Batman showbag (what else?) and this contained assorted candy (very yummy too!), a small Batman toy, a mask, a glass, placemat, and thermos. So if your kid or some kid back home is crazy about a certain character, a showbag is a good gift to get.

Be on the look-out as you walk through Movie World. All throughout the day, characters will be walking around and they will be available for photo opportunities. As we went about the theme park, we saw Marvin the Martian, Porky Pig, Joker, and the whole lot of characters.

As for the attractions we enjoyed, here they are:

Batman Adventure, the Ride: Adi wasn't tall enough to meet the height requirement for this. My hubby and I took turns watching Adi though, so we could try this. This gives you a tour of Bruce Wayne Manor and then you go on a simulation ride. The ride makes you feel as if you are in the Batmobile with Batman, going through Gotham City and battling the bad guys. The ride is exciting and a bit jerky. Not for people with weak necks and stomachs.

The Looney Tunes Stage Show: This has two showings, noontime to early afternoon. It takes about twenty minutes and characters like Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Tasmanian Devil, Daffy Duck, Sylvester, and Lola Bunny take you through dances and music throughout the years. They move to Flashdance, Michael Jackson and Madonna songs, rap, among others.

Looney Tunes Village: This is the perfect place for a three-year old kid like Adi. Most rides are suited to kids his age. There's the train (with Looney Tunes characters carved out of the mountain like Mt. Rushmore), the cars which kids can drive on their own, and the fire truck, which was Adi's favorite.

Marvin the Martian in the 3rd Dimension: This 3-D film takes about 20 minutes and is shown at the Roxy Theater at 30 minute intervals. Everyone wears special glasses so you feel like you're part of the scene and there are objects hurtling towards you, among other things. Interesting.

The Looney Tunes Star Parade: all the characters join this parade which goes around the Fountain of Fame before noontime. Visitors of the themepark will see all the Batman characters, Police Academy, Austin Powers, Wonder Woman, Looney Tunes, and Pokemon.

Adi's all time favorite though was the alley where Batman and Robin make their appearance. We must have returned there about three times. The first few times, only Batman was there, so Adi kept looking for Robin. During the times when no one was in the alley (for it wasn't time yet for the characters to appear), Adi would ask: "Where are they?" To which I would answer: "They're resting." Adi then says: "I want to rest with them." What was I to say?

It was a good day at Movie World. One day is enough although if you really want to see all the attractions, two days should be allotted.

On the way back to the hotel, the tour bus dropped us off on the other side of the road, opposite the Marriott Resort. We didn't see any pedestrian lanes so there we were, making a go of it, on a main road. Upon entering the hotel, we asked the concierge what was the safest way to cross the street from the other side. He then told my husband that there's a pedestrian lane further down where we can cross and then walk up to the entrance of the hotel on the right side already. What we did was quite dangerous but if we could sprint fast enough, it should be no problem. He then asked my husband where we were from and when he heard Philippines, the guy said: "You should be okay. You run fast enough." Hooray for the Filipinos who've had their training along Edsa!

09 - SeaWorld

First Stop: Sea World
Rating: 2 kangaroos - worth hopping on to also

We spent the day at Sea World, in the Gold Coast. We were sorry we didn't bring our swimming gear since there was a waterpark inside. Oh well, there will probably be a next time.

We rented a whale (or was it a dolphin, I never figured it out) stroller for Adi for AU$10 (about P250 for the whole day) since we didn't want to tire ourselves carrying him by the time afternoon came.

Adi's favorite place at Sea World was Cartoon Network's Cartoon Beach. Again, most of the rides in this area would be tailored to kids Adi's age. We had a photo opportunity with Dexter there. Adi also enjoyed the Carousel, Woody's Beach Trucks, the Air See Rescue (a helicopter ride which goes up and down and around), the Airborne Barrel Brigade (a plane ride), and of course, the Coca Cola Truck. There was also Dexter's Fountain where kids, in swimming gear, can run and play near the sprinklers all around.

We got to ride the cable car and the monorail in the park, which Adi also liked.

There are a few scheduled shows (usually about twice throughout the day) which one can go to throughout the day. The Ski show was really no great shakes, for us. We could have missed it. The Quest for the Golden Seal (with seals, what else?) and the Dolphin Cove Show were okay but the tricks were really not all that different from those shown in other places like Ocean Park in Hong Kong. Still, Adi managed to enjoy himself.

Adi and his dad also went on the Flume Ride, a water-based roller coaster type of ride, with a steep ascent and a sudden drop. It was Adi who said: "I want to ride that." Devoted dad that my husband is, he volunteered (or was it more like I coerced him?) to go with Adi. After all, what are dads for?

Second Stop: Conrad Jupiters Casino
Rating: 1 kangaroo - hop on to this only if you have extra time

We had dinner with Tita Edna's son, Lester, at Prince Albert where they serve pretty good lamb. The place is a hotel-casino, so it's noisy and smoke-filled. Looking at the people around, it wasn't really a hotel for families. Anyway, it probably wasn't that noisy since Adi slept all throughout dinner. He didn't even eat.

Going Home

So, ends our travel to the Land Down Under. It was a good time to be together as a family. The last time we were together for an uninterrupted eight straight days was when Adi had dengue and was confined in the hospital in 1998. Not too good an occasion to remember.

This was a good trip. We saw new places, met new friends, learned new things. We appreciated another country's set-up, systems, and attractions, yet were also thankful for everything that we had back home. So, till the next trip, mates!

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Family High In The Land Down Under
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Copyright © 2000 by Angelica Bautista Viloria. All Rights Reserved.
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