Australia - Melbourne trip

Melbourne is one of the destinations that I always dream to go, finally this year I got the chance to visit my aunty family in Melbourne, they have been stay there for 20 years I think, now even my cousins have setup family there as well... The purpose of this trip is attending my cousin's wedding + family vacation, furthermore I never been to a country during winter, never thought of I can see snow during this trip.

Let's start with the trip preparation, I remember May (cousin) asked us whether can attend her wedding in August or not during Chinese New Year 2008, me and my sis really excited and planned to go, but in order to get the cheap air ticket, we kept on checking on the budget airline to Melbourne, because we need to pay for our parents as well, so need save for it. Finally in May 2008, we booked the Tiger Airway which need to fly from Singapore and transit at Darwin, but the ticket is half price compared to MAS Airline. So our vacation will start from 18/08/2008 until 26/08/2008. While 23/08/2008 is May's wedding day.

Me and my sis departed from One Utama heading to Singapore on 16/08/2008, this is our 1st time taking First Coach, quite impress with it. No meal provided, only a pack of biscuit and a small bottle of mineral water, but got own video on demand. The most important factor is the price is really cheap.

- First Coach

Then we stayed overnight at brother's place, went to Singapore budget terminal on Sunday afternoon, our flight was 6pm. After check-in, then the flight will transit at Darwin Aiport for 2 hours, after that only heading to Melbourne.

Darwin Airport - midnight still full of passengers.

In the flight, when almost reach Melbourne.

We reached Melbourne was already 18/08/2008 7am, one thing that I'm happy with Tiger Airway was the flight is always on time, although is budget airline too... Once we landed at Melbourne T4 airport, wow... it was freezing cold... I also don't know how many degrees was that... while waiting for our luggage, I saw the bride-to-be (May) and groom-to-be (Daniel)... after that saw Angela and aunty as well, so happy and exciting saw them. After took our luggage, then heading to aunty's house (our accommodation place in Melbourne). After reached aunty's house, we rest for a while first, cause really did not have a nice sleep on the plane, the flight was not comfortable at all.

After resting, we went out for dimsum lunch... met another cousin (Hui Ping) and her 2 lovely daughters (Fiona and Alicia). Wow... the di msum was awsome... damn nice... and big portion... Then we went to Rhododendron Garden, Mount Dandenong and visited May's house.

- dim sum lunch (so yummy!!)

- kookabura

- Melbourne city view from Mt. Dandenong

On the second day, uncle was the one be our tour guide, we had breakfast at home, then brought some sandwiches prepared by aunty for our picnic lunch. Firstly, we visited Melbourne Zoo, saw a lot of animals that only can be found in Australia - little penguin, kangaroo, wombat and of course koala bear (but it was sleeping that time). After back from Zoo, we went to Crown Casino, just pay a visit to it, didn't play, then had our dinner inside, it was a lot cheaper compared with outside. Then we visited the tallest building in Melbourne - Eureka Skydeck, we able to see whole Melbourne city night view from the top, it was a great experience.

- can't remember the name of this animal already :P

- Red tree kangaroo

- king kong

- don't know what kind of monkey is this...

- kangaroo

- wombat

- lazy koala bear

- Melbourne city view from top of Eureka Skydeck

On the following day, we went to Great Ocean Road, but it was really freezing cold. While we had picnic lunch in one of the town on the way to 12 Apostles, I was shivering even though we had hot chips. Thanks May and Daniel prepared such delicious picnic lunch for us. Then we headed to 12 Apostles, wow... it was an amazing scene. Then we had laksa for dinner... yummy...

- picnic lunch







- 12 Apostles



- Melbourne city

On the next day, we all woke up early, to help aunty on preparing "kueh" and curry puff for hi tea in the afternoon, cause she had invited May's parents-in-law and family for small gathering. The had the tea ceremoney as well, can feel that Daniel's family all so excited for that, cause it's new thing for them.

- tea ceremony

On 23/08/2008, this was a memorable day for May and Daniel, also my dear's birthday, a little bit sad that can't celebrate with dear this year, but we sure can celebrate together in the future years. We all woke up early in the morning, need to get ourselves ready and also did some little makeup for mum and aunty. After that we went to the wedding venue - MontSalvat, I'm really impress with the punctuality of Australian, I don't think we can't have it in Malaysia here... May and Daniel had their vow and legally as husband and wife here, so happy for them. Then we went home rest first and went for wedding dinner at 6pm. The dinner venue was at Wattle Park, this is my first time attending western wedding ceremony, it was a great experience, we had western dinner, then had dancing session, until now I only realized May is a great dancer, all of us were enjoying the night.

- everyone is so happy... but freezing cold as well...

- lovely couples finally tie their knot together

The next day we were invited to Daniel's parents house for high tea session and witness their opening present session.

On 25/08/2008 early morning, we went to Mt Buller - snow mountain. It was a long journey, I think about 4 hours from Melbourne city. We had a great time there, cause we all saw snow for the first time, although no snowing, really enjoyable.

- Mt Buller

Here came to the last day in Melbourne, Angela brought me and Ling went for breakfast in St. Kilda, we even had ice cream in winter!!!! After that we went to Hui Ping's house for lunch, Hui Ping and her hubby (Andreas) were preparing lunch for us, I like their house personally, it's so comfy... Andreas really is a good cook, I miss the grill lamb chop... yummy yummy... After lunch, we went to Montone Beach for a walk, then went back to Hui Ping's house for high tea... nice nice

- ice cream... yummy yummy

- cousin's house

- Montone Beach

Then we were getting ready to airport, we were spending a night in Perth due to no flight back to Singapore that day. While we reached Perth, it was midnight already, we all stayed in an apartment hotel, cost us AUS$165 per night per unit, with 2 rooms and 1 living room and kitchen.




- Kings Park in Perth
We woke up early the next day, cause this will be the last day for us in Australia, and we never visit Perth as well. So after checked out, we went to King's Park, it is really a big park and we not able to visit the whole park. After that we just spent time in Perth city and bought some souvenir. In the evening we went to Perth airport and heading back to Singapore. Here ends our Melbourne trip. Really wish to say big THANK YOU for those who spending time and money for us in Melbourne, I really appreciate it.