Tesselaar Tulip Festival 2018

When I was a kid, my mum had a garden of anthuriums. They were nice but I just could not get why my mum liked them a lot. Now that I am older, I understand. There is something about flowers that make people appreciate them. Speaking about flowers, when I saw on Facebook about a Tulip festival and it interested me. My aunt originally planned for us to go but since plans have changed, I asked my friends to come with me instead. They agreed and off we went last October 14, 2018.

The town where the festival was at was Silvan. It is 40 km east of Melbourne and about an hour's drive from where we lived (avoiding tolls, of course!) We didn't buy the tickets online as I am not happy to pay for online surcharge. When we arrived, there were ample parking spaces and the queue for the ticket entrance was fast and efficient. Entrance fee was $28 per person. Separating the parking lot from the field of tulips was this green wall which commands a photo opportunity :P

When we came in, there were already hundreds of people inside appreciating the blooms. Fields of tulips were there in different colours. It was really a wonderful sight and the weather did not disappoint. 

This was certainly my first time to be in a tulip festival and it felt exciting. I particularly love the deep purple colored tulips as well as this sunset orange colored tulips. Just beautiful!

Of course, there were signs all around to remind visitors not to pick the tulips. There were staff who were quick to call out guests who cross the lines towards the flowers. I guess the patrons just needed to get a good photo as near as they could to these gorgeous blooms.

Aside from the flowers, the place also showcased sculptures from local artists. One of the many that caught our attention were these metallic flowers. It is for sale for $320 for a set of 3 flowers!

A scultpture that looked like an eggplant to me :)

As with any crowded place, people had to make sure that no photobombers are in their photo. This is especially true with me and my friends. To achieve this, we had to do creative poses like lying on the ground :P

There were food booths, a souvenir shop, lots of tables and chairs and a pick your own tulip in the venue. I did buy 2 tulips for $1.50 each to put into our dining table.

The experience was great and that day off was well spent! They posted that an upcoming flower festival would be happening on April 2019 and we might just be back! For now, I have ticked this off my bucket list. Thank you for reading and 'til my next blog :)

My 1st Royal Melbourne Show Experience

Last 22 September 2018, me and Joel went to Melbourne Showgrounds to have my first  Royal Melbourne Show Experience. It is a yearly event when Melbournians and especially kids can come to have fun on school holidays. Tickets were $40 at the door but we bought ours online the week before and it came down to $28! (Lovin' the savings there :P).

Opening time was 10am but since we had somewhere to go to,we arrived at 12nn. Parking was quite hard but there were still ample space and it cost $25 for whole day parking. A lot of people were coming out with their showbags in tow and it definitely made me more excited of what the the showbag pavilion could offer.

Upon entering, we saw pony rides to the left

and Kids Carnival on the right.

Just a few steps further is the The Farmhouse where kids lined up to either pat a chook or pat a pig.

Other activities were to plant a seedling and milk a cow or shear a sheep! There was also a livestock pavilion where hundreds of animals competed for blue ribbon glory. Sheeps, cattles, alpacas and clydesdales stayed here while waiting for their turn to show off their stuff.

There was also a Dogs Pavilion where dogs were kept before they were in a competition. A lot of dogs resting in and out of their cages were there. I was particularly amazed with this long haired dog. He is very pampered by the owner who was so proud to say he won a competition in Germany weeks before.

A lot of  food kiosks were on the way but there were also pavilions dedicated for more food options.

Further ahead is the Entertainment Precinct where Vicproud main stage was. We were able to see the last part of a live performance of a dance group.

 Later within the day, we sat down at the public stand where we can see the grounds were covered with thousands of people enjoying the free concert of Jimmy Barnes.

Another area we visited was the Herald Sun Arena. This is where we saw horses in action, jumping over different kinds of fences. We can also see the horse stables and horse warm-up area from here. In the evening, this place became the venue for monster truck and motocross stunt show and the spectacular nightly fireworks that concluded our night.

Of course, we didn't forget about the showbag. It had a whole pavilion dedicated for it. Kids and kids at heart went there and it was very crowded. A number of showbag options were displayed ranging from popular lollies to brands like Better Homes and Gardens, Roxy and Showpo. They were a bit expensive but there is something about showbags that make you feel happy! I was able to put my self control in play and just bought only one. And because I was too busy thinking what showbag to buy, I forgot to take photos (lol). But I did took a photo of the showbags of the past!

Another popular spot was the Thrill Seekers Carnival. Exciting rides and carnival games were situated here. We were satisfied just watching other people take on some crazy rides so we didn't bother to ride any.

To cap off the first day, there was an amazing show of fireworks!

It was an amazing day for me and we had a lot of fun at the show. Looking forward to another amazing one in 2019! Thanks for reading and 'til next blog!

Great Ocean Road

One of the must do's when visiting  Melbourne, Australia is to take a trip to the Great Ocean Road. It is an adventure and experience in one. This coastal drive spans 243 kilometres in the South- Eastern Coast of Victoria, starting from Torquay to Abbotsford. As per wikipedia, the road was built by returned soldiers from 1919-1932 and dedicated to the soldiers killed during World War 1. 

Armed with eagerness for adventure, me and Joel set out to do the journey last March 26, 2018. We chose to drive down there so we can enjoy and hold our own time although there are a lot of online travel companies that offer the tour as well. Tours range from 96-105 AUD, depending on the inclusions and length. 

Our first stop was at Bell's Beach in Torquay. We came a week before the annual Rip Curl Surfing Competition so there were people busy putting up platforms and busy surfing. I also saw the famous shops of Quiksilver and Rip Curl here, very tempting to shop but we had an itinerary to follow :)

A few kilometers later, we saw this iconic spot. Everybody who comes to Great Ocean Road should have a picture or two here!

An interesting read about the road we are traversing.

Our next stop was at the lovely town of Lorne. While we parked our car, a bird rested on our side mirror. It is seemingly saying welcome to Lorne, visitors! But I was eating in the car so it must have seen my food. Lol

Lorne is a popular holiday destination in Melbourne. No question on this because of its beautiful one kilometer long beach and a sprawling park near the shore. During the time of our visit, the Lorne Sculpture Biennial 2018 was happening and was an interesting sight. Quaint shops were just a few steps away from where we parked so we got coffee and sat down for a while before heading off for the next stop. 

Kennett River is the next stop on our list. I've read that this is where seeing a koala in the wild is. Although I just saw one koala high up in the branches, Joel had fun trying to entice these colourful birds to rest in his arm. 

Driving out of Kennett River, we saw a pretty sight- a rainbow.

It was then almost dark so we headed out to our booked accommodation for the night in Apollo Bay. The following day, we headed early to continue our trip. We passed through Great Otway National Park and saw this beautiful view at Glenaire. 

A few kilometres ahead was Port Campbell National Park. We stopped to see for ourselves what Gibson Steps is about. It was an 86 step staircase down the cliff.

There had been rain a couple of hours before, so it was muddy and a bit slippery. There were a lot of people coming up and down the stairs at the same time so we had to give way so everybody can be safe. The natural scene of the beach was amazing but swimming here is not advised as waves are choppy and there are plenty of rip holes. 

Just a few minutes away was the Twelve Apostles, another iconic spot in the Great Ocean Road. We had to leave our car in the designated parking spaces near the Visitor Centre and take a bit of hike towards the opposite side. 

Right now, there are only 7 remaining. These spires were part of the mainland before wind and water eroded the connecting rocks. 

There was a throng of people everywhere enjoying the sight and the sound of the waves crashing from below. I was honestly not too amazed when I saw it myself but still I am happy to have gotten the chance to see the stones still standing amidst the pressure of the wind, water and rain. We concluded our journey at the town centre of Port Campbell to get some hot fish and chips and then drove 2 hours back to Melbourne.

That was another memorable adventure :) Thanks for reading and 'til next blog!

Phuket Shooting Range

A Shooting range is not my thing but I do not judge those who do. After our Ho Chi Minh trip wherein Joel was not able to try the shooting range offered at the Cu Chi Tunnel tour, he vowed to do it in Phuket. Just a quick Google search and we found out that there is one Phuket Shooting Range complex in Chalong situated near Kata Beach. 

The place is open from 8am until 6pm and parking space is ample. As we managed our own time, we arrived at the place at a little past 1 in the afternoon. There were a lot of tourists because there are a lot of exciting things to do such as go kart racing, a snake farm, elephant trekking, paintball and many more. We headed straight to the Shooting Range and the staff was quick to give us some ear muffs so we won't be deaf from all the background shooting. 

There is a poster on the wall detailing what type of guns and how much one would pay to fire 10 bullets from the machines. This is also detailed in their website and the staff are happy to help and explain further about it. 

After deciding what he wanted to use, Joel was asked to go to the counter and pay. The cashier then gave him his target and the 10 bullets he would use.

While he was doing so, I looked around the Shooting Range's display and found that they have  a Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor. 

After paying, the patrons are asked to queue in the middle of the hall and an available guide will lead them to a seat. 

The place has a lot of reminders for safety such as: not to point the guns to any person. 

Before starting, the instructor is guiding Joel on the how to's of this activity. 

He then started to use his 10 bullets and  finally posed with his target!

He would have wanted another round but it was a bit costly for our daily budget. Anyhow, he was already happy to have experienced it and I was too, for my first time in a shooting range. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

Short Taipei Trip 2018

Eversince I knew about Taipei being visa free for a limited time for Filipinos, I dreamt of visiting the country. I am just so fortunate that my boyfriend, Joel, is up for it, too. We started to plan for the trip in the late part of 2017 and chose to fly from Cebu to Taipei thru Airasia last January 2018. The fare we got was about 2,000 PHP (39 USD) for one person for one way. I know we could have gotten it cheaper if there were seat sales at that time. 

As part of the preparation, I read many blogs and articles about Taipei. I made my itinerary from scratch. It was only a short trip to Taipei - just 2 nights and 3 days so the schedule was pretty tight. Also, I have read that it was winter season so I had to be ready with warm clothes!

At Mactan-Cebu airport, we both had to pay the Airport Terminal Fee which is 750 PHP (15 USD) and as a Philippine Resident, I had to pay Philippine Travel Tax of 1620 PHP (31 USD). After 2 hours and 30 minutes, we arrived in Taipei Taoyuan Airport. Look at that cute ceiling design behind us :)

Before leaving this airport, here are my tips:

1. Change money at the airport - I've read this is important because there are not many (or maybe there is none at all) currency exchange stations in the city. Note that they do ask for a fee/ commission when you exchange your money. 

2.Buy phone sim or rent 4g wifi via Klook.com - Another important thing especially when doing tours by DIY. We figured that renting a 4g wifi is more cost efficient and it did not disappoint us! For a bit less than 500PHP (10 USD), our internet connection was fast and cheap!

3. Get a tourist map - for someone who believes in old school ways, I love maps! I always make it a point to grab one from airport tourist counters. Important and tourist friendly information are in it and its free, so why not?

4. Buy Easy Card at the airport - We discussed about getting an Easy Card or Taipei Pass. Both has its pros and cons and we finally agreed on the easy card. There is a 100 NTD non refundable deposit but if you have a balance in the card before you head out, you can have it refunded at the airport counter where you bought it. 

5. ride MRT to Taipei City, cost 160 NTD (6 USD)- the MRT travels 35 minutes only from the airport to the city. A bit costly than the bus (125 NTD or 4.26 USD) but we figured out that it was an easier way to get to our hotel so MRT wins!

6. Choose a hotel near where the action is or near a train station - This is always what I do to save time, effort and save money from fares. 

We had a bit of difficulty locating our hotel and carrying our stuff around even with the help of Google Maps. But once we found it, we were so relieved! :) Since check in was at 5pm (this is the first hotel ever that I knew of a super late check in time), we left our bags in the reception and headed on to explore Taipei.

The intersection near our hotel

During our stay, here are the things we did in Taipei:

1. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

Entrance fee: Free

How to get there: Take the Blue Line and get off at S.Y.S Memorial Hall

This is a memorial built in 1972 as a tribute to the founder of the Republic of China. Walking towards it, we found many students practicing school activities on the grounds and a beautiful garden called Zhongshan Park. Inside we found historical relics of Dr Sun's life. We also waited for the changing of the guards which was awesome.

2. Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

 Entrance fee: Free

 How to get there: Red or Green Line to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

Upon exiting the train station, we were amazed of the huge building in Chinese Architecture. Entire complex is huge and there were a lot of students practicing. We had to sit down to take in the view. Unfortunately, during our visit, the hall was under renovation so we just stayed in the grounds and we were happy just being there. 

3. Shilin Night Market

Entrance Fee: Free

 How to get there: Take the Red line to Jiantian Station and take exit 1

One of the largest and most popular night markets in Taiwan, we came here not once but for 2 nights because we cannot get enough of the food, the sites and sound. As usual with any night markets, we found a lot of souvenirs of Taiwan. What amazed us were the many entertaining games like balloon popping, bottle standing and a lot more. Their prizes were stuff toys which were so huge, really enticing for the public to try the game.

Food was also a big factor. There were a lot of stalls that served delicious food. We particularly love this glazed strawberry for 50 NTD.

We found the food court of the market and inside it were rows of restaurants serving different kinds of cuisines. We had a difficult time choosing one and when we did, we ordered:

the Oyster Omelet.

Xao Long Bao

 In Taiwan, I had my daily fix of gong cha or milk tea :)

Lots of other drinks to choose from!

4. Taipei 101 Observatory

Entrance Fee: I bought our tickets ahead from KK day for our  visit to Taipei 101 Observatory. I got it for around 900 PHP ( 17.30 USD)

How to get there: Red Line to Taipei 101 station

view from Taipei 101 Observatory 

Claiming the ticket was a breeze from the counter and we were then asked to queue towards the world's second fastest elevators. We were lucky that the sky was clear that day and we were able to marvel at the city lights and 360 degree view  from the 89th floor. There were shops at the 89th floor for souvenirs as well. What's great with getting my voucher from KK day is that we had a free Oolong milk tea!

5. Longshan Temple

Entrance Fee: Free, Donations for the temple upkeep is accepted

How to get there: Blue Line to Longshan Temple then take exit 1

This is one of the largest and oldest temple in Taiwan. It was built in 1738 but was damaged by American bombers. Now, it is continuously improved and renovated by locals. 

6. Ximending Shopping District

How to get there: Blue or Green Line to Ximen

One cannot miss this shopping haven. With a vast number of stores, restaurants and shops, it is very easy to spend time just walking around this area. We had a quick lunch in a Japanese restaurant which is located on the second floor with a view of the busy street. 

These were only just a few sites that consisted our Taipei trip. There are other interesting sites such as Elephant Mountain, Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola but we didn't have the time to see all. Maybe in the future as we'd love to come back! Thank you for reading and 'til next blog ;)