Budget Travel Sydney - day 4

I did not do much on my 3^rd day in Sydney. I just walked the whole day exploring the areas near the Harbour Bridge, The Rocks Weekend Market and Opera House. I was planning to visit the Blue Mountains on my 4^th day but I did not want to join the usual tours. I have read online that it can be done by yourself. Thankfully I found a roommate in the backpackers dorm who was interested to do this too. By the way, the cheapest group tour we can find was around $85 and was beyond our budget.

The next day, we went out to Sydney Central Railway Station and caught the 7:21 train to Blue Mountains. The station was huge and there was a lot of people for the morning rush, so we had to run to get to the platform and we caught it just in time.  The travel time was 2 hours but it did not really feel tedious because of the smooth train ride. We even fell asleep and finally arrived at Katoomba Station at 9:23.

Upon exiting Katoomba station, we found that there were booths selling the Blue Mountain Tours. We chose the Blue Mountain Explorer which was just across the street because it was cheaper. We each paid 30 AUD and was given our ticket and and guide book. We then waited in front of a hotel which was about a minute walk from the store. At 9:45, our bus came to pick us up. I was particularly awed with the trees that were turning red. It was autumn when I went and it was so lovely for me.

There were only 4 of us for the first bus ride so the driver took his time to talk while driving us through the stops. This was my first time ever to ride a hop on hop off bus but I knew about it from my friends. The driver would stop at bus stop points and we can get off, explore the place  and wait for the bus to come back which probably was an hour later. Bus drop off and pick up points were not hard to find and looked like this.

Here's my friend, Connie, on the first stop that we hopped off the bus. We only spent a few minutes on this lookout because we were worried that there'd be a lot of people on Echo Point by the time we get there.

We went down from the bus again at Echo Point. It has the panoramic views of the Jamison Valley and the iconic Three Sisters.

It was especially freezing that day but it did not stop us from enjoying the view of the Three Sisters. According to Aboriginal legend they were sisters who were turned to stone. It was a bit early during the day, possibly around 11am and that is why a shadow has quite hidden the magnificence of the stone. But either way, I am happy to be there and see it for myself. 

It was also majestic to just look around and take in the entire view of the valley. I liked that there is a map to inform which particular mountain you are looking at. 

The place has 2 viewing  platforms and tourists can go to the lower one easily. There is also a clear sign that says Prince Henry Cliff Walk. This details how to go to Katoomba Falls or to Scenic World. 

Just a few feet from the Visitor Center is an archway where we saw people were either heading in or out. 

It led us to a walkway with a lot of trees and views of the Jamison Valley. 

Then we saw a short set of stairs which were very steep and only 1-2 persons at a time can pass by. We were very careful not to fall and definitely going down was easier by just holding on the railings and looking at where your foot lands. I didn't expect to hike but maybe because I did not do much research before coming. Either way, I am happy to get a bit of exercise. 

The stairs was connected to Honeymoon Bridge which then allowed us to be up close with the first sister. 

We stayed for a few minutes to take in the view and retraced our steps back to Echo Point. Since our bus was not scheduled to come yet, we decided to walk to the next bus stop which was only a few meters ahead. The next stop was near the Blue Mountains Chocolate Company.

Lots of chocolate options, cake and a coffee were available there. It is a quaint place to relax and fill yourself up after the hike and freezing temperature outside. 

We weren't able to catch the bus so what we did was have a bit of an adventure. We studied and followed the map to Scenic World. We did not plan to ride any rides of the Scenic World because we did not budget for it. So we just walked and walked until we saw a part of the Katoomba Falls. 

We were satisfied of how our day went and finally decided to run to the next bus stop. We caught the bus just in time! Connie and I decided to end our gallivanting in Katoomba by filling up our tummy with Fish and Chips at a local shop. 

It was a fun short time that we had in Katoomba. I found out that there is a local bus 686 that stops at Echo Point and other sites in Katoomba. Fares are paid thru Opal cards just like the one used to ride the train from the city. Nevertheless, me and Connie were happy with what we chose and did. 

It's been more than a month since I've been there. I've been pretty lazy at home and just found the strength to finish all this so that my friend, Mel, whose planning to come to Blue Mountains can get an idea of what I did there :)

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog :)

Second Bali Trip - Day 2

On our second and last day in Bali, we did not miss the breakfast buffet offered by our hotel. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and considering that we have quite a full day and flight in the evening, we fueled ourselves.

It was a Sunday and the roads were not full but then again the distance to our destination was quite far. After an hour's drive, we arrived at Kerta Gosa, a beautiful historical site situated 40 km east side of Denpasar. From the Sanskrit word Kerta meaning serene and Gosa which is derived from the word Gosita that means established or announced.

This is the Taman Gili, a building floating or seems like floating because it is intentionally founded in the middle of a fish pond. The ceiling of this building is notable as it is painted with the only surviving example of classical wayang art in the whole of Bali.

The view from the top and overlooking the pond.

Our next destination was another hour's drive. It is called the Ujung Water Palace.

Now it is called Ujung Park. The complex consists of various large pools and historic structures set against a backdrop of Mount Agung and the eastern shoreline.

It survived the mountain's eruption and an earthquake and was restored to its current splendour. The area was so big and because the sun was so hot, we barely were able to roam all of the area.

Our final stop is the sister water temple of the previous one. The place is called Tirta Gangga which literally means water for the Ganges and it is a site of some reverence for the Hindu Balinese.

The one hectare complex was built in 1946 but was also destroyed by the nearby volcano's eruption in 1963. It has been re built and restored and tourists are able to enjoy its loveliness.

This is the centerpiece of the palace - an eleven tiered fountain. I had fun walking along the steps in the pool fronting it.

Our tour ended and we arrived back at our hotel in Kuta at around 4 pm. We had time to hike and see the beach in Kuta which was not really far from the hotel. We found out there was a lot of people on the beach enjoying the scene of surfers on the waters.

On the way to the airport, Jero suggested a place for take away. It was a famous place for chicken with edible tender bones. I didn't believe it until I tasted it :P. Great dinner and also what a thoughtful friend!

This ends my second visit to Bali! I still want to visit it for the third time! Maybe in the future :)

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

When in Bali

I know its overly late but I still would like to share the opportunity I had when I went to Bali last December 2015 with some friends. As it is long overdue, I will try and remember what awesome things we did. These can also be suggestions in case some of you, dear readers, would like to set foot in Bali, Indonesia for your future getaways. 

1. Stay in a nice / comfortable hotel

There are numerous beautiful and relaxing hotels in Bali to choose from. This just depends on the budget and of course on what part of Bali you intend to stay. There are a lot of areas to choose from such as Kuta, Seminyak and Legian among others. It's truly rewarding to research which area fits best for your kind of holiday. 

We chose to stay at a hotel in Seminyak. It was quite far from the beach and the happenings but it was nice and quiet. When we were there, our room was upgraded to pool access which was a sweet surprise.

2. Chill and Dine

There were numerous drinks that I only have seen in Bali. These were just some that I saw at a 7-11 store. I am not into drinking alcohol but still these were interesting.

A lot of bars and restaurants dot the area so there are a lot of options to choose from. On the first night, we went to this cool place in Kuta where we had dinner via candle light and a live band to keep us entertained.

On other nights, we went to explore other bars. One of the bars we went to was near the beach. They had a promotion of a buy one take one for their cocktails. The view, the music, the ambience and the place was amazing.

We also went to Potato Beach Club to see the sunset. Again, the view and the ambience was simply fantastic!

The best Nasi Goreng with Pork Ribs that I've tasted all my life :) 

3. Water Sports

Bali is famous for its offered water sports. I had a great time having my first Banana Boat Ride, Jet Ski, Flying Fish and Parasailing. I especially loved the Parasailing because we were taught how to steer it while up in the air. My arms were sore because I had to pull the strings according to their instructions thru the flags on the shore.

4. White Water Rafting

I was afraid of trying this one out because I felt it was dangerous but my friends were all going so I went as well. We had a fun time even while waiting for the start of the program.

The great river with rafts and the people who were with us to experience this rafting thing.

Our guide was patient to all of us and he was very quick to instruct us to either paddle or stop.

It was not all paddling. We were able to stop for a few photos along the way as well as take a dip in the cool river.

5. Temple Tour

A visit to Bali is not complete without a temple tour. We hired a driver and his car to take us around for a temple tour. This is Jero, our very kind and patient driver. You can search for him in Facebook or on his website www.laksmibalitour.com

He kept us safe from the monkeys who would often grabbed things from unsuspecting tourists.

How many monkeys do you see? There are a lot of them and sometimes you can barely see them and can just suddenly come up to grab cameras or water bottles or food. 

The temples were situated quite far from each other and as it was so hot during the day, we ended up only going to a few of them.

6. Shopping

There are a lot of stores selling souvenirs and Indonesian delicacies. Our driver, Jero, was kind to bring us to one of the affordable stores that sold things that we can bring back to our friends and families. It also had a restaurant to refresh their shoppers.

I had such a great time during my first trip to Bali. I went back again after 5 months and I'm excited to write about it soon. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog! :)