Rated PG in Sydney

Last November 2022, my parents visited me here in Sydney and I took them around NSW and also in Canberra, which is in ACT state. (In case you don't know the capital of Australia is not Sydney, it's Canberra.)

Anyway they were supposed to go March but because we've been getting so much rain, I've rebooked their flights to November. Luckily they came at the perfect weather, we were having sunny days, perfect spring weather (cool and sunny!) so we were able to become touristy including myself. I swear I can become a part time tour guide as an alternate source of income.

I thought I'd document our trip in my blog so I can preserve the memories. If you are coming to Sydney too, you can use this post as your guide so you'd know the places to go.

November is the best time to go to Sydney in my opinion, because the weather is perfect (not too cold or warm) and during spring time, you'll see plenty of flowers, cockatoos are roaming in botanical garden and Jacarandas in bloom. (It's like cherry blossoms only purple!) There's also "sculptures by the sea" in Bondi beach which only happens for 2 weeks. Basically it's art spread around Bondi, so you'd see art while you do the coastal walk.

Parents doing Bondi coastal walk

Here is sample art sculpture in the beach which was the winner called "Benoit" by Bruno Catalano, Amazing how it looks like the first half is floating.

1. Sydney CBD - tons of things to do in the CBD. You can  eat at Darling harbour or do whale watching, walk in Barangaroo, do shopping at Queen Victoria or Town Hall, view the Martin place christmas tree and christmas markets, go to zoos such as Taronga zoo or Sea life for your koala and kangaroo fix, see the Botanical gardens for flowers, see art at the Gallery of NSW and off course visit the Sydney Opera house and Harbour bridge. These are just samples of things to do, there's plenty more.

Amazing harbour views in Darling Harbour

Martin Place looks like the Big Ben

Queen Victoria bldg is a shopping mall with the architecture of the renaissance period

Iconic Sydney structures - Opera House and Harbour bridge

2. Blue Mountains Region - everyone takes a trip to the Blue Mountains to see the three sisters which is basically just big limestones but there's more to do here. Unfortunately they are all hikes so my parents are no longer in the hiking category so we only did sight seeing. I recommend having high tea at the Hydro Majestic hotel for awesome scenery. I was suppose to take them too to Jenolan caves, unfortunately due to our relentless rain, landslide had occurred so they've temporarily closed the road to the caves until end of November.

Thanks R for the treat, try the Boiler room too for lunch!

Three sisters, as usual mom is always cold!

3. Kiama - is a 2 hour drive from Sydney. Most people visit the Kiama blowhole, have fresh fish and chips, watch people paraglide or parasail and watch an airshow! (We were lucky one was happening while I was driving, it's like a live Topgun movie!) and also visit buddhist temple called Nan Tien.

You can paraglide or parasail with a pro for a fee. I did paragliding once in Bali. :)

Plenty of pines at Kiama

Here's the blow hole but since we arrived lunch time, it's low tide so there's not much water spouting.

Kiama lighthouse

Pagoda in Nan Tien temple.

3. Live Plays in Sydney - every year, new plays are being shown in the city, This year we had Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Moulin Rouge, Cinderella just to name a few. I took my parents to see Moulin Rouge and Cinderella. I definitely recommend Moulin Rouge more, they've modernised the songs from the movie.

Highly recommended play!

"I hope you don't mind.. I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words.. how wonderful life is when you're in the world."

Cinderella's carriage

4. Canberra - is a 3 hour drive from Sydney. It's the capital of Australia and also where you can see museums and government offices. We went to Cockington green garden, War museum and Parliament house. Dad enjoyed the war museum most due to the huge display and facts about world war 1 and 2.

Miniatures around the world, can be seen at Cockington green gardens

Mini stone henge, I'm visiting London next year!

The car crew

AU parliament house

Ready for the senate or house of representatives?

Some sample display in War museum

AU War memorial

Here's a list of all AU soldiers who died in the ANZAC war.

5. Grounds of Alexandria - small cafe/ garden which changes the theme design every quarter. This month's team is "Naughty or nice christmas". Place is definitely a go-to for instagrammers.

Naughty lane, I'm definitely in this one.

Santa?

I think they should switch sides haha..

Snowy effect?

Beautiful fountain in the garden

We had hot chocolate!

Waiting for donuts but it was still closed

Santa's helper?

This is St. Mary's cathedral. It copied the Sistine chapel in London.

Here you can view art for free too

Sample art inside 

This tower is in La Perouse, which is near the airport

They were able to view the giant christmas tree in Martin place, same design each year!

You can also go to Hunter valley region for wine tours, Port Stephens for sand boarding and dolphin watching (my favorite place!), Hyams beach for the whitest sand in the world ( according to Guinness) or Royal National Park for hikes. There's plenty more places to go but we didn't have enough time as I was only free on some days and only on weekends. I had a good break too while my parents are here, love the food my mom cooks, (dad does the dish washing although I told them to use our dish washer, they prefer their old ways!) and we were able to spend some family time. Hopefully my brother and his family will come soon too so we'll all go on a family trip. Our last family trip I think was in Coron which was ages ago! (I mean when we're all together outside Manila!)

I'm spending christmas in New Zealand, so next stop Queenstown!

Singlish La

So this was an impromptu trip. M was being sent by her company to work in Singapore for 2 weeks so I tagged along for a week. I had to pay for expensive flight tickets because M was only informed three weeks time before her travel dates were finalised. I flew Singapore Airlines too nothing special about it just a bit pricey.

As SG is near the Philippines, I also invited mom to come along with us. Australia to Singapore flight time is 8 hours similar to PH flight time to Sydney, while PH to SG is only 4 hours.

Arriving at Changi airport, I have a short story about my luggage dilemma. I arrived at terminal 3, and my mom arrived an hour early and is waiting at terminal 1. I told her to wait for me as I need to pick up my luggage. I didn't notice any announcements on where our luggage will be claimed, so I assumed it would be in terminal 3 as well. So I passed through immigration and noticed all the luggage conveyor belts do not contain our flight's! I inquired to the officers there and they are all telling me different stories. First guy told me to go back to immigration and check which terminal our luggage were, but immi told me that once I got out I can't go back in. So I had to walk again and if you've been to Changi airport, you know it's huge! Anyway finally after talking and running around they told me to go to terminal 2, lost and found. And there was my luggage! Surprisingly not sure how it got placed in terminal 2 when we landed at 3! Seriously covid messed up air travel. Anyway mom had to wait for me for 3 more hours because of this mishap.

Mom at the Jewel, artificial waterfall inside Changi airport. Pretty neat huh?

We stayed at Grand Copthorne Waterfront hotel, we were near the shopping area at Orchard road! I like our free buffet breakfast here is the link if you want to book too - https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/singapore/grand-copthorne-waterfront/

Grand Copthorne entrance, our home for a week

I remember the first time I came here, I found everything more expensive but now I live in Sydney, food and transportation is cheaper here. I appreciate my SGD1-2 bus/ train trips and $20 uber rides. Train rides in Sydney is a rip off, it costs me AUD 11 to travel from office to home. My uber ride to Sydney airport cost me AUD 100! 

Anyway enough ranting, here are some places we went to! We went to Universal studios although Water world was out and some rides/restos were closed due to covid,  regardless we had fun!

I love dinosaurs!

My first time at Jurassic Park, I was 25 yrs old! It was like a dream come true, I always wanted to come when I was a kid. Now I'm in my 30s, still love it!

Universal at night!

M's niece!

Can you believe mom rode the Transformers ride and found it cool too? :P

We also went night safari, the funny thing is it was too dark we didn't see anything so.. I don't recommend going but here is the link if you want to try - https://www.mandai.com/en/night-safari.html

Night out this was straight after my flight, felt a bit groggy

Night safari bus, too dark to see!

I also took my mom to Sentosa. I had such a good deal with the cable car ride, they had a promo and I only paid SGD3 each! M paid a lot more because she didn't check the deals online! (She went with her niece on a different day). Actually the promo was for Singaporeans and permanent residents but I booked it and they didn't ask for identification so I con'd my way in! *evil grin

Mom at $3 cable car ride!

Fort Siloso, it was my first time here. My last visit to SG was 2014, we only watched F1 and usual Universal and luge ride.

Cool rock at Siloso beach

Super love SG food, even their Jollibee's!

I ate Jollibee a lot here, I always order chicken burger with fries and Fanta grape!

Off course we went all touristy and went to Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Merlion Park and the rad Art science museum.

Perfect timing, the light show was on at Gardens by the Bay

We went to the top of Marina Bay sands, I wanted to stay here even for a night but decided to save money instead. Maybe next time if I have more money I wouldn't hesitate!

Very cool light art, follows my hand

Some sculptures on the way

yep we also paid to see Attack on Titan exhibit! We were lucky as this was their last week.

Cloud forest 

Spring flowers love the hydrangeas

cool light strips!

Mandatory shot whenever in SG

If you want to dine Harry Potter style, I recommend trying Platform 1094! It's not as grand as the Harry Potter themed park in Orlando or Osaka but they have cool illuminated drinks and butter beer!

https://thesmartlocal.com/read/platform-1094/

M ordered butter beer!

I had a green soda!

Caught up with J! We used to be team mates in Macquarie Manila office!

Found this cool art studio, I purchased chopper from One Piece anime (although I haven't seen that anime, it was just cute.)

Similar to Hozier lane in Melbourne, SG has Haji lane version

The week flew by quickly, I wish I could stay more. I bought a lot of my Final Fantasy 7 Kai play arts. I also missed the active night life! Sydney is dead at night, also the shopping malls close at 6pm unless it's thursday. I love the malls, food, walking under the sun. (Sydney has been raining and gloomy lately, La Nina weather.) I just love I was able to escape winter for a week last July. 

My next travel is in Queenstown, NZ. I've been here with my mom and aunties before but this time, M and I are going to glacier hike. I'm so looking forward to that and is my sole reason for coming back! Please La Nina not this December too.