TravelStream™ news feed for member pesu on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/pesu en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:29:59 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230656400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230656400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230656400/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:29:59 -0500 Vacation in Australia

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

This day we went to Sydney wild life zoo, (more text to be written....)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1229101260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1229101260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1229101260/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:28:18 -0500 Vacation in Australia

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

This day we went to Taronga zoo, Taronga zoo is a nice zoo located at a hill outside Sydney, taking the ferry is the most convinient way to get there. There are several entrances to Taronga, the upper one is accessed via and cable car. We skipped the cable car due to the mass of people, instead we entered the zoo at the lower entrance. We spent the whole day there, but since the zoo was big and closed at 5 p.m we decided to check the Australian and Asian alimals "only". Must say that there were not so many highlights from that day, koalas, dingoes, some bats, rats, kangaroos and crocodiles. A bonus highlight was the asian elephants, even though that was not the biggest reason to go to Taronga, the left a funny memory. It was quite windy this day and it would have been nice to have a longsleeved t-shirt with us... we were quite used to the 30 degrees and now it was only 24 degrees.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1231002000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1231002000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1231002000/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:25:40 -0500 Vacation in Australia

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

People in Sydney love seafood, we are not that keen in fish, but we thought it could be really fun to go and visit the local fish market. Sydney fish market is one of the largest in the world, but the they do not only sell for big customers, there are one section dedicated for ordinary people as well. Fish market is for me accosiated with smelly fish, I.ve been told that fresh fish does not stink. So I guess these all fish was fresh because the place was really fresh. A lot of crabs, octopus and other different fish, actually really interesting to see the fishes that we had earlier tried out at some restaurant. We also passed a sushi restaurant, we are no of sushi, but here it felt like the right place to try once again. For 6AUS we got a small portion, and wow, this sushi was really good. Seems that we need to take our words back. After the sushi, we went to Paddington market. A market for local artists and hand crafters. This market is bigger that the Rocks market and does not have so much tourist stuff. Great place if you like markets, a highlite from the market was a guy selling masks. Incredible great, fun mask for halloween party. In the late afternoon we drove out top "the Gap", the entrance port to Sydney by sea. Spectacular views, definetely worth the drive.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1231174800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1231174800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1231174800/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:13:10 -0500 Vacation in Australia

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Last day...mixed feelings neither of us wanted to go home, but also it will be great to come home again. We started to check Qauntas baggage policy. We found out that it was only 20kg/person in economy class. In addition the cost for additional weight was 44AUS/kg, we had 18kg overwieght so in our case that would have meant 500AUS. So we started dumping things, cutting weight, in all possible way. Altough this sounds as a boring task it was kind of fun challange. It took us an hour or so, we manage to get down to a couple of kilos overweight, with maximum weight as handbagage. Taxi came late, had trouble to find us, so it was good that we went 4 hours in advance to the airport, since it was quite crowded. Well at the gates we bought some snacks and grabbed something to eat. Now only 30min left for take off. We all were very tired at this point already but we agreed to stay awake until Singapore. After the service stop we all fell to sleep and slept for a couple of hours, a couple of hours more and we landed in Frankfurt.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1231088400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1231088400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1231088400/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:11:39 -0500 Vacation in Australia

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

This day was a really sunny and beatiful day, perhaps the warmest in Sydney during our stay. We went with our friends Johanna and Mats to a beach north of Sydney. After 1h of drive we arrived to the Avalon beach, this was a surfers beach. The waves here was the largest we had seen during our stay, it was a bit challanging to manage the waves, but Mats, Oona and me we were soon out there with a boogie board, while Minna and Johanna were cathing some sun. Oona held on to the board and I helped her to catch the wave... the speed was great. Oona went really fast, riding on the wave all the way to the beach. She enjoyed it!! However due to the strong waves Oona was had trouble getting back out again, got caught in a wave and got a really good spin at the shoreline. This experince was not that fun, sand all over the place, so we rested at the beach. I gave the boogie surfing a try as well but with no success, could not catch the wave. Something wrong with the technique I guess. In the evening we had a "barbie", but since both Mats and Johanna were going to work next day we did not stay up late.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230915600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230915600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230915600/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:07:23 -0500 Vacation in Australia

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

As planned this day were "the shopping day" at DFO in Homebush bay, weather was a bit cloudy so it was a perfect day, we shopped for 2h and managed to yet again find good bargains. Afterwards we went to the famous Sydney markets, where fresh fruits and vegetables are sold. It was by far the biggest market we had ever seen, large boxes of fruits to really low price. Oona bought some walnuts and cherries, both of them very the most delicous we had ever tasted. We were quite close to IKEA shopping centre at Homebush bay, we went there to grab some lunch, but this time we did not enter IKEA! In the evening we had a "barbie", barbaque that is. Nice food and some wine, we sat and talked for a couple of hours with our friends and enjoyed each others company.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230829200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230829200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230829200/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:05:47 -0500 Vacation in Australia

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

First day in the new year, since the weather was perfect this would be a good day for the beach. We aimed for Manly beach, at the ferry we found out that there were a few other thousand of people that had the same idea. So there were some que at the ferries, first ferry was full etc... but no worries that is how it is. Manly beach area was very strange, like arriving to tourist centre. Crowded, shops, bars etc... and this only 20min ferry ride from Sydney centre. The beach was of course crowded, too crowded, a lot of people playing ball games, not really that kind of beach that we enjoy. But any way, nice waves, so Oona and me was body surfing, and it was perfect conditions for that one surf could take you around 30m. Great fun. We did not stay that long on the beach since, we tried to get ahead of the mass going mack to Sydney centre. On the way home we went into a few shops, and checked out some nice offers, and at the ferry we could see that our tactics were right. We managed to get the first ferry, leaving thousands of people to wait for the next ferries. When we arrrived to our friends appartment, they had also come home from their vacation. We talked and shared experiences the whole evening and went to bed late.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230742800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230742800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230742800/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:04:30 -0500 Vacation in Australia

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Weather was nice, blue skies and 30C, we had plans were to go to Manly beach, but we had read on the web that it can on New years evenings day might be very tricky to get around with public transportation. So we skipped our plans to go to Manly, we did not want to take the risk that we ruin the whole evening because we are stuck on the wrong place. Instead we took our towels and went our on the grass outside our apartment in order to read a bit and catch some sun. We had NYE dinner booked to 8pm, so we headed out for the ferry departing Abbotsford at around 5pm. Now the NYE struggle started, first ferry was full, second ferry was cancelled, we got scared so we tried to take the bus, but we missed it by 5mins. Taxi was impossible to get, so there was no other choise but to go with the last ferry. Luckily we managed to get onboard that one. We talked to some locals about where to watch the fire works, and how to get home. We were warned that it is going to be a long night. When we arrived at Circuilar Quay around 6pm, where most of the people want to be in the evening, there was a lot of people sitting guarding their spots. The whole are was surrounded by a metal fence, outside there was a lot of people queing to get in, while we were trying to get out of there. We had booked a wonderful 3 course dinner at Steersons steak house in Darling Harbour, where we had calamari, prawns as starters, main course beef and desert icecream, panna cotta. At 9pm there was the childrens firework at Darling harbour area, which was also quite magnicifient. Due to the heave crowd of people that we saw was moving towards Circular Quey we changed our plans a bit, the plan was to watch the fireworks from a distance and then head straight towards the taxis. Since the large blocks of the city are blocked from traffic, we ended up at the Obervatory Hill. Quite a party going on there, a lot of beers and a lot of happy people. We were now standing in the back row of the crowd, with quite a good view over the bridge and we enjoyed the fireworks. The fireworks is something really amazing, a lifetime experience. As soon as the firework stopped we headed for the road were taxis could be found, luckily for us we got a taxi straight away. Time to go how and have a good nights sleep.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230483600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230483600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1230483600/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:58:25 -0500 Vacation in Australia

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

A cloudy day, so we headed for town. Going to Rocks market to shop some nice handmade jewellery and a lether bag that had been found there last time. We walked around in the centre of the city and since sun was started to shine we went to the Royal Botanical park. Beutiful area, apart from all the species that can be found there, it is also a nice place to relax. What we did not expect to see, was a lot of bats (big ones) hanging in the tree tops. This is a great place to have a pic nic under a large tree, throw some frisbee or just walk around. Unfortunately there are no shops, no cafeteria open after 5pm, so be prepared annd do like the locals, eg. BYO (Bring Your Own)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1229706000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1229706000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pesu/1/1229706000/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:48:30 -0500 Vacation in Australia

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia

Seaworld was one of the reasons why we stayed in Surfers Paradise, weather was sunny so this would be the perfect day. We drove to the spit and started a monorail tour of the area in order to see what attractions there was. The touch pool was fun, there one could touch sea cucumbers, seastars and many other submarine animals. There was also a small copy of the great barrier reef, where it was also possible to go and snorkle, but that required prebooking. The shark bay was really amazing, also a really authentic small copy of a real reef. Since the weather was hot we went for swim in the pool area, a nice refreshment before the seal show started. Seal show was pure fun, mainly aimed for kids. The main event, the dolphin show, was way different that what I expected. That in a good way, it was very educating, what dolphins like to do and what they can do. After the show you could watch the doplhins in the pool areas where the where free of duty and that was also amazing to see how keen and playful these dolphins really are. Some of the dolphins come up to the fence and started interacting with us, making sounds, jumped and swam around. Seaworld has of course also attractions like roller coasters end such, Oona and me went on the most extreems ones, I guess the cork screw is the best one. The strange part will all parks and malls i Austalia is that they close at 5 ot 6 pm. Seaworld closed at 5 pm, so there was not time to do much more than to check out the final waterski show and head for the car. We drove a around a bit in Surfers Paradise, and it is a truly remarkable place, wheter you like it or not. A very long beach area, covered with skyscrapers all over the place, behind these kind of a residental area which reminds you of a small Venice (check out the satellite view in googlemaps if you want to take a peek view). Seaworld was one of the reasons why we stayed in Surfers Paradise, weather was sunny so this would be the perfect day. We drove to the spit and started a monorail tour of the area in order to see what attractions there was. The touch pool was fun, there one could touch sea cucumbers, seastars and many other submarine animals. There was also a small copy of the great barrier reef, where it was also possible to go and snorkle, but that required prebooking. The shark bay was really amazing, also a really authentic small copy of a real reef. Since the weather was hot we went for swim in the pool area, a nice refreshment before the seal show started. Seal show was pure fun, mainly aimed for kids. The main event, the dolphin show, was way different that what I expected. That in a good way, it was very educating, what dolphins like to do and what they can do. After the show you could watch the doplhins in the pool areas where the where free of duty and that was also amazing to see how keen and playful these dolphins really are. Some of the dolphins come up to the fence and started interacting with us, making sounds, jumped and swam around. Seaworld has of course also attractions like roller coasters end such, Oona and me went on the most extreems ones, I guess the cork screw is the best one. The strange part will all parks and malls i Austalia is that they close at 5 ot 6 pm. Seaworld closed at 5 pm, so there was not time to do much more than to check out the final waterski show and head for the car. We drove a around a bit in Surfers Paradise, and it is a truly remarkable place, wheter you like it or not. A very long beach area, covered with skyscrapers all over the place, behind these kind of a residental area which reminds you of a small Venice (check out the satellite view in googlemaps if you want to take a peek view).
]]>