Rendezvous at Melbourne

Said itz rendezvous, so i'll begin the post with a big group photo of us. Starting from the left is me hugging Ben Ben (Mei Fern) tightly after half year of long lost companionship, KarMun and Wan Zhi my hosts, La Cha the black teh tarek in the winter (huh?), Shin Hoon the host of Ben Ben, Xi Rin with her same old bag in Intec, May May who always moans wanna diet but IS very slim, Audrey at the back, Ju Ann with her always-so-naughty look and Hui Qing our tour guide of the day. So, the big group of us are waiting for the FREE tourist bus to take us around the city. Our destination of the day is - Shrine of Remembrance. Somewhere like Tugu Negara in Malaysia but much more grand (I THINK - dont sue me).

On the way to Shrine of Remembrance -

Melbourne city!!!! i am glad i was here. ^.^

The Shrine of Remembrance (at the back not the front one)

Up at the balcony of the Shrine

Then after all of the crazy photo shootings (as what a tourist always does) we head to the Art Market then to the Victoria Art Gallery. Before that we have lunch at the Southgate food court at Yarra River's waterfront.. (Melbourne people please correct me if i mention the place wrongly thanks)

Me by Yarra River

And it seems that the Art Gallery becomes a place to sit and rest and take photos. Me with Irene. We don't recognise each other and pass by like strangers in the foodcourt.... (note Wan Zhi who wanders aimlessly at the back haha)

The next day, we go to the Melbourne Museum. I really like that place very much - free admission and lotsa things to learn ranging from human anatomy to psychology to drugs and evolution. Too bad i don't have time to stay longer.

In the museum. This is how insects see me. Mosquitoes must be very happy coz they think they have so many victims to bite hahaha.

Three leprechauns!! haha sooooooo cute we are!! =)

Feels like back to Malaysia with many onion heads?? this is where Melbourne Uni students have their exams - just outside the Melbourne Museum

Before we go into the museum we pass by the IMAX. We bought the tickets to watch the 3D movie 'The Batman Begins' and we plan to watch it after the BBQ.

i wonder why all of them standing there and stare at the entrance??

Group photo after the BBQ

Then, as planned, we go to watch the much anticipated 3D movie WITHOUT THE GLASSES. I thought there should be glasses and i should be watching it with the glasses to experience the 3D effects but then i thought i was wrong. Nobody in the theatre is given the glasses to watch the movie with. So i think that it is so called 3D just because it has extra big screen and the images have been digitalized. But then, i was wrong again when i see this AT THE EXIT.

Please return your 3D glasses here.

I am like WTH?! i paid so much to watch and what kind of service is that?! So, lesson learnt = check the exits next time to see if there is anything interesting awaiting u. =.=

After a good night sleep, on my 3rd day in Melbourne 8 July, Wan Zhi brings me to Queen Victoria Market. Wahhh, so many souvenirs there leh!! i bought a few only coz i don't have much time there.

Next stop is the Melbourne Aquarium.

And there is a feeding show and i've recorded it in my camera but the brilliant me press the wrong button and reformat the memory card so there's nothing left. T.T

Itz me and May May in the Aquarium

Considering this is the last day i have in the Melbourne City, i ask Wan Zhi (Sze Kee) to bring me, ju ann and sook may to her uni i.e. Melbourne University (my dream uni). And... Ta-Da!!

itz me in the Uni Melbourne!!!! behind me is a car park. so yeng one....

We have something planned at night - to go up to the Eureka tower to have a bird-eye view of Melbourne city. So, here i am. (the photos i've taken are deleted T.T)
Then, the Mrs Gamble aka Mou Mou Dei brings us to the Crown Casino. She wins alot with her free points from the membership card. Charlene lo, always promotes the casino and asks people to join and mmd seems addicted liao wo (but now her points finish dy i think she won't go again liao la). Here, if you are 18, you can enter the casino dy. No need to wait til 21 years old like in Genting Highland.

i am crowned! call me the Queen muahaha

In the casino. See? so many 'tiger machines' (duno English call what)

So, my trip in the city ends now and the next chapter begins - Great Ocean Road and Grampians Guided Tour. It is a 3 days 2 nights tour, departing at 7am in the morning of 9th July and back to the city at 4.30pm on 11st July. Our tour guide is Peter, who brings 9 of us around in his caravan. Of course he gets pay la. 195$ per person. But it is comparatively cheap and the experience i've gained couldn't be bought. He is very knowledgeable, explaining to everyone in the van the history of the places but most of the times, i am not listening - either busy taking photos or sleeping in the caraven. hehe...

If you think my post is too long and too sien, save it and continue to read next time hahaa

First stop, Bells Beach. It is a surfer's beach. very suitable to surf. As you can see, the wind is very strong and i am with my thickest jacket but still feel very cold. But there is a surfer who comes onshore naked (with short pant la dont play play) and i wonder how he can tahan the chilly freezing wind.

We makan angin.

Then, we go to a beach which i forgot the name. Beach wo. There must be a jumping picture la. so we jump with our thick thick jacket.

Also, i forgot where i am. But the view is very spectacular. kekeke

The tour members feed the Rosellas (the colourful bird pecking the foods in my palm) with the bird foods from ANOTHER TOUR. I think that tour guide must be wondering why we all so tebal muka and get his bird foods which are supposed to give to his own tour.. haha who cares? i am tourist.. kekekeke


We have a rainforest walk at Australia Victoria state. Feel kinda weird though. As i walk i think 'aiya there are lots of rainforests in Malaysia la see till sien liao.' but then Peter our tour guide explains it really well. The main characteristic is there is many ferns compared to Malaysia's rainforest. and the ferns can grow up to 20m tall and look like a tree but they have no roots!! amazing!!

We have one walking fern also - Lai Mei Fern. hahahahaha

We go through the Great Ocean Road. The road is really very long coz it is constructed as a memorial for World War I. Along the road there are so many scenic views... i really love it!! Oceans, beaches, sands, blue sky, grasslands, grazing cows and sheeps, hills of plantations...

Peter brings us to the Twelve Apostles, one of the biggest tourist attractions at Great Ocean Road. He is suggesting a helicopter ride of 60 bucks. Since we are there for maybe once in a lifetime, we buy that suggestion. And, i really do not regret. The experience is soooooo invaluable. Helicopter ride to see the Twelve Apostles!!! Wow!!

Views from the helicopter... i wont forget it for the rest of my life..

Before the sun sets, Peter brings us to Loch and Gorge. You see, this is a perfect place for hideout. it is so well sheltered and there is a cave regardless of the strong tides and hidden rocks outside there. Lots of shipwrecks have occurred and there are only 3 miracles where people survived as they missed the currents and were brought to here..
Peter says there is a surprise awaiting us when the sun sets at the Twelve Apostles and brings us back there. As we were on helicopter and are not able to take photos, so for sure we grab this chance to take as much photos as we can.

Remember my quote 模糊中的美?? hahaha

What the surprise is? some guess whales, some guess penguins.. and as we almost give up on the long wait, here they come!! itz penguins!! we manage to see 3 groups of penguins parade back to their home!! even though it is quite far, what i can barely see is three black lines moving slowly to the shore, i really experience the beauty of the nature.. It is all so natural.. Penguins go back to their home as dark arrives..
We spend our first night at Port Campbell. A very tiny town and can finish visiting the whole town with a 30-minutes walk.

The hostel we stay.

And Port Cambell.

Second day is not a good day. It is raining together with the strong wind. However, as tourist and since i paid, i must make the fullest of it ma. So i combat the strong wind like this waterfall. It is going upwards.

At the London Arch. Combatting the winds.

The Grotto

Then... Whale-watching at Logans Beach!! Wow!! it is hailing that time. I wonder why the raindrops fall with higher velocity than normal and hit the ground harder. I let the 'raindrops' fall in my palm then only i realise that itz ice! imagine how cold it is.. the rain is frozen to become ice. cold~~
Logans Beach. and i saw the whale!!!!!!! it surfaces to breathe!!! its giant tails slowly disappears in the waves, accompanied by the splashes of water.. that moment is so wonderful and so touched.. I am touched by the mother of Nature.. years later in the future is there any chances for humans to witness this when everything is polluted and extinct?
Finally, it's time for lunch!! Peter drops us at Port Fairy to have Fish n Chips. There's so many chips that i struggled to finish it..

I wish i can have one boat like this in the future

The journey continues. Peter brings us to a pre-volcano. He tells us that it is still possible for the volcano to erupt in the future. Mountain climbing to get good views.
Remember it is raining? the rain stops and rainbow is there cheering for us. Saw many rainbows that day and this is the most beautiful one.. now i know where the rainbow begins...
It is raining again. Though it is painful, the tour has to cancel the Grampians National Park adventure. haih what to do? so we get to our dorm and have a good night sleep for the next day.
First place we go is the MacKenzie Falls. No pain no gain. but this time it is sweet first bitter later. The van is parked up there and we have to walk down to the waterfall then get back up there! it is so high and it is the most tedious activity throughout the tour. But the views are.. judge for yourself.

Small waterfall - nice

Big waterfalls - nicer!!

Ground floor and first floor??

Trees in black. Why? They are the regrown Eucalyptus. They survive the bushfire 2 years ago..

Peter later brings us to the Balconies.

We are above the clouds!!!!

This is the Jaws of Death. Do you think it looks like the Pacman trying to eat the dots??

The next hour, we are at the Boroka Lookout. See the Wonderlands and Mount William ranges? its sooooooooooooo spectacular!!

The panoramic view from the Lookout.

Peter then brings us to the Wonderlands. There is a stream which i thought is polluted by chemicals because the water is discoloured but it is not. It is the fallen leaves from the plant that contain the oil that discolours the water. Have a great adventurous-style walk here, jumping from rock to rock cross the stream.. busy taking care of myself so not many photos taken...

It's almost time. Peter drops 5 of the tour members at somewhere between Adelaide and Melbourne coz they want to go to Adelaide by bus. Suddenly i feel so close to Adelaide but yet i am still in Melbourne. Kinda weird feeling.. I asked Mika (one of the passengers taking bus to Adelaide) how much the fares cost and the answer is 50$. Ahaha itz at the halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne. I take Tiger Airways fly to Melbourne one way only 40 bucks. *mad laughs*


I shall end this post with a photo taken by................................
Do you believe that i am the photographer?