USA 2018 - Los Angeles

Last September, M and I went to LA and to various states in the west coast  USA to relax and unwind. As you know, I'm quite the traveller so I like to save up and go to places I haven't been to. I've been to US last 2014 but I travelled east coast like NY, Chicago, Washington DC, Philadelphia and Florida. This time we went to LA, Las Vegas, Wyoming, Dakota, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Florida (again, to visit my auntie!).

Honestly it's a long vacation for us (more than 3 weeks) so I'm just gonna put up bullets to highlight the trip so as not to make it lengthy. This trip cost me about A$8,000 including some shopping and airfare. And we availed a 9 Day west coast bus tour with tours4fun. So you'd have an idea if you'd like to do the same. Link below to the tour.

More info here - https://www.tours4fun.com/yellowstone-mt-rushmore-skywalk-las-vegas-grand-canyon-west-9-days-tour.html

Los Angeles, California

We basically check in 3 star hotels to save money. We flew with Qantas airlines and it's a 13 hour direct flight! Imagine leaving in Sydney at 9AM and arriving in LA at 6AM. Serious jetlag. Prob is most hotels allow early check in only if there are rooms available. We were out of luck so we had to come back at 2PM as there is no room available at Best Western Plus Glendale.

Our first stop, downtown LA. We left our baggage in the hotel and hired an uber to take us downtown. We went to Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Central Market, The Broad, Bradbury building (oldest bldg in LA), rode the Angel's flight train (from the movie Lala land) and my favorite stop, the Last Bookstore. Honestly it's just a book store but it's quirky and certainly "instagramable". All these are just walking distance to each other so just purchase a local sim and you'll be fine. Btw our sim card in US cost A$100 for unlimited internet for 1 month! I'm surprised how expensive it is.

Inside angel's flight. It only cost a dollar to ride it.

Short ride only about 3 mins.

Just some quirky bookshelf found at the Last Bookstore!

I'm surprisingly still awake after a sleepless 13 hour flight!

Knowledge is power!

Some art on the way to the Broad and Walt Disney concert Hall.

The next day we took uber again and went to Hollywood boulevard. Did not expect LA to be quite dirty and polluted actually. After living in Sydney for a year, my expectations on cities have sky rocketed. LA sky has smog, traffic is bad, there's quite a number of homeless people as well. It didn't meet my expectations at all(based on hollywood movies I've seen!). Also I realised how fortunate I was to be sent to Australia instead of US. I wonder what my life would be like if I worked in Houston. (I was supposedly to be based there instead of Sydney). With all the random shootings happening, it's unfair how the country is not even black listed yet for tourists. I feel my home country PH is safer than US. Anyway we availed this half day coach tour because it was suggested by our driver yesterday haha.. So we can see some famous actors and actresses' houses and some places that were included in films. I'm not big of a fan of people in hollywood but we took it anyway. After the tour, we walked on Hollywood walk of fame, had lunch at In&Out burgers, met H and went to universal studios.

M at this artsy staircase

Harry!

Thanks everyone for my engineer of the year award

Our coach tour took us where Leonardo Di Caprio lives, DJ Khale, shooting of the Body guard, Pretty woman etc,

They say this is the most expensive town hall in USA - Beverly Hills

The only place that impressed me in LA is Beverly Hills.

Welcome LA banner

I feel like I'm to star in a soap!

USS LA!

Our last day in LA, H hired a car. He actually lives in California so he was able to drive us around. It's so hard to find a good spot to photograph the Hollywood sign honestly. If you go on that coach tour, people are just gonna tell you it's forbidden to come closer. Luckily, H knows a spot that is quite hidden where you need to drive to a neighborhood that will lead up to closer to the sign! Halleluja H. We went to Griffith Observatory, Hollywood sign, drove to Beverly hills again because it's just awesome there (also was looking for hydro flasks,) Sta. Monica pier and LACMA at night (Los Angeles county museum of art).

Trust me this is the nearest we can find! Not all can find this spot and it's illegal to actually climb all the way to the sign.

Beverly palm trees. The fire hydrant is made of platinum.

Sta Monica pier!

Hunting pokemons at Sta. Monica wishing to meet trainertips and mystic7

Gimme seafood!

LACMA lights and columns. So crowded we couldn't shot a proper selfie.

And this concludes my LA trip. The next day it's the start of our 9 day west coast tour with tours4fun which I'm gonna share on my next post. (when I get the chance to NOT be lazy)

Helicopter ride at the Great Barrier Reef!

This easter week, M, N and I decided to go to North Queensland for a tropical feel of Australia. The temperature of the ocean in north Queensland is very much similar to the Philippines. Warm and sunny unlike here in Sydney, since we're near south pole, it's very cold to swim. I love the warmth of Cairns and it reminded me of my home country. North Queensland state of Australia is known for its nice warm weather and the great barrier reef - world's largest coral reef system on Earth. It's so big that even astronauts can see it on space! Never have I thought I'd actually swim on it in my life. Although I've only seen not even a tenth of it, I'm amazed how I was able to ride a helicopter and get a bird's eye view of it. There are many reefs and islands you can snorkel too, the one we went to is called Saxon and Hastings reef. Also don't worry about great white sharks as most of these are in downtown Australia (meaning New South Wales!)!! The sharks found in Great barrier reef are mostly small reef sharks. Harmless and timid. I've only seen one in my semi submarine tour.

Met the easter bunny on our way back to Sydney, gave me chocolate eggs.

Anyway Cairns is a 2 hour and half plane ride from Sydney (thought it was 4 hours) and North Queensland do not have DST timezone. Meaning similar to the Philippines, since it's near the equator, pretty much the sun shines and sets at 6-ish. Unlike in Sydney, where winter has longer nights with the sun setting at 5PM and during summer, sun sets at 9PM. We arrived early and picked up our car rental and drove to Cairns esplanade. We were so lucky, because it's cyclone season, Cairns was battered with strong cyclones before our trip. Literally Cairns was flooded, 2 consecutive weeks of rain with the cyclone just leaving the area the night before our trip! I was already losing hope and thought our flight might get cancelled. Fortunately all my positivism in life has magically swung things around. (also with a bit of luck)

Cairns Esplanade Lagoon

We stayed at Port Douglas because this is where the nice beaches are (and I also miss driving!). So Port Douglas is an hour and 10 mins drive from Cairns. On our first day. we just checked in our 2 BR apartment and had a walk around town. We stayed at Driftwood Mantaray apartments, good location right next to four mile beach. It only costs $135 (Php 5400) per night. For more info - http://www.driftwood-mantaray.com.au/Contact-Driftwood-Mantaray.

Love our sala and dining table.

In Port Douglas, we had a walk around Macrossan street. This is where all the shops, restaurants, boutiques are. We also had a walk at four mile beach. Unfortunately due to the cyclone the previous day, water was brown. Most of north Queensland was flooded the day before, it was a miracle that Captain Cook highway (road to Port Douglas) just got accessible when we arrived. Before our departure, the road was closed due to a landslide so we thought our trip was bad timing.

Four mile beach.. As you can see, it's a bit murky.

Macrossan street shops

Watch the sunset at Rex Smeal Park and you have the Anzac mountains as a backdrop bonus

The next day, we head off to Crystal Caves at Atherton Tablelands. Again due to flooding on some roads, we had to go to Captain Cook highway again instead of the other road. News said the Baron river has flooded that area so instead of an hour drive, it became 2 hour drive. Be careful in driving too, Captain Cook highway is considered one of the dangerous roads to drive in Australia. Steep cliffs, sharp turns and winding roads.

So Crystal cave is a man made cave. We went here only because we wanted to experience cracking a geode! Geodes are volcanic hollow rocks, that after millions of years, crystals starts forming inside. Some of the geodes were really expensive, we only bought the $35 one, which can get you quartz, chalcedony and crystals. More info here - http://www.crystalcaves.com.au/

There's a huge collection of crystals and fossils inside!

We were lucky, the newest addition to the museum is a gigantic geode with amethyst. Literally opened the day before we arrived!

Cave entrance

Crystals and fossils

Here's N's cracked geode! He's the lucky one of us three! Had the most crystals!

After our awesome geode cracking, we head off to Skyrail rainforest cableway to get to Kuranda. We actually passed by Kuranda when we drove to the caves but we wanted the cable car experience and also, it's the only road back to Port Douglas so had to get back. I've seen the most beautiful rainforest - and it's right here in Cairns! It's so dense, and there's just too many trees! Cable car ride is just as relaxing as looking down a pool of luscious trees. There are three stations you can drop off and ride again just make sure you purchase roundtrip tickets. For more information - https://www.skyrail.com.au/

Make sure to stop by at all stations

What a view from the top!

Look at the density of the rainforest! I swear it's much much better in person!

Upon reaching Kuranda, we only had 2 hours left to explore so we were only able to see the market and the butterfly sanctuary. If you've seen the butterfly sanctuary in Bohol, then I don't recommend coming here because it's similar. We only came here because we wanted to see the giant moth and butterfly but unfortunately, we were unable to see them. I would say do the other activities in Kuranda instead. Saves you  twenty bucks.

Gigantic lizards all over the resto at Kuranda!

Late lunch!

Butterfly sanctuary feeding grounds

Barron falls

After our skyrail adventure we head back to Port Douglas. We were looking for an area where locals pile rocks and it's quite a popular stop among tourists. However it's easily missable because they said it's between Ellis and Pebbly beach. If you look at the map, it's literally like start to finish of Captain Cook highway. Seriously. On our first attempt, we definitely missed it, we stopped at the farthest, Pebbly beach and thought we could walk it. We took photos anyways, still a pretty sight!

No sand, just pebbles!

Pebble galore at Pebbly beach

We head back to our apartment, had a swim at the pool and cooked sinigang na hipon (shrimp stew)! Yes we bought sinigang na hipon condiments. Simply because it's comfort food on a tropical location! (Also food is expensive here in Australia! One meal will cost you roughly more than $20 per pax)

I must hide my tummy fats!

N showing off his abs???? haha

Sinigang na hipon! (filipino shrimp stew)

The next day, we woke up early as our snorkel and fly tour starts at 7:30am. Drove again to Cairns and parked at the esplanade. The pier where our boat is docked here. This is an expensive tour, costs about $300-ish including a buffet lunch at the ship, snorkelling on Saxton (inner reef) and Hastings (outer reef), a helicopter ride and a semi submarine tour. You can avail diving lessons too.  For more information - http://downundercruiseanddive.com.au/evolution_cruise.php

It's very much worth it to get the helicopter ride above the great barrier reef! I would say it's a definitely must do! The tour has complete snorkel equipment and a live band singing!

Ship is huge, have lower, middle and upper deck!

Applying sunscreen is a must

Reefs are protected and full of life

Lucky we are beside the pilot and got the best view!

Bird's eye view of the reef!

Gopro in action!

 I want my own heli!

Semi submarine tour of the reef

On our way back, live music will entertain you and you can eat crackers, wine, cheese and fruits as snacks. I really enjoyed the helicopter ride and would love to do it again! On different parts of the reef!

Book your cruise with down under, they even got a marine biologist on board to help you know your reef

After our awesome helicopter, semi submarine experience and snorkelling, time to head back. Again we went looking for the area with balancing rocks! Literally the balancing rocks location is indeed in between Ellis and Pebbly beach but a more precise location is before entering Wangetti! So if you see the "welome to Wangetti" sign board, then you definitely need to head back a little. Cairns actually means mound of stones so it's cool to see cairns within Cairns!

art of zen! balancing rocks!

cairns in Cairns

Watch our vlog here in my youtube channel!

This was our last stop as the next day is our flight back to Sydney. Definitely will be back North Queensland, this place reminds me so much of the Philippines only more modern and expensive! My absolute favorite was the helicopter ride. I'll do it again on another reef. I've got Hamilton island and Whitsundays as my next target in Queensland. Maybe next year? We'll see! I can't wait to be back to Australia's sunshine state!