GOLD COAST...HERE WE COME!

After a seven-hour wait and a two hour flight from Melbourne, we finally got our feet down on the Gold Coast grounds between 4 to 5:00pm. It was also way cooler than Darwin. So we kept cocooned in our Jackets even inside the bus that took us to our holiday apartments.(I forgot to mention this is my second time in the Gold Coast. )


When we got to the 'SURFER'S BEACH SIDE APARTMENTS', we were amazed. The apartments that we booked exceeded our expectations. It was superb! The 160 degree view was amazing.

The only thing I'd complain about is our TV. The other three apartments had massive TVs, specially apartment 4- Ate Luz's and Allan's apartment. Theirs was huge! Ours was a cute puny little thing.

Anyhow, we were happy with the pulchritudinous panoramic view that we have in our apartment.

(above)Mona astounded by the size of their TV

Lots of amenities to enjoy. There's the pool, the heated spa, the sauna and the tennis court. Yet, so little time to spend in the apartment. We were constantly on the go we hardly ever see what's around for us to use.


We ordered dinner when we got there. Out of all the strain and hunger, I slept right after dinner. I was already fast asleep when the Chuas and the Geronimos arrived two or three hours after we did. So I don't know what happened then. I saw them during breakfast the following morning just before we headed off to the Movie World.

(Above) the lounge room view to die for
(below) Our dining room and lounge room











(above) the pool garden. (below)
some views to romanticize about

This is how dark Gold Coast can get at 5:00 in the afternoon

THE NEW DAWN

Wakie Wakie Rise and Shine!!!! Sun's up already!!!

(right) the QDeck. It is said to be the tallest residential tower in the world???















We had our first breakfast in Apartment 4 on the 14th floor. Allan
and Lando managed to get rice, bacon and eggs the night before
while I was asleep. We're all ready to head off to the Movie World....

Whatcha eating guys?

Itutuloy.............

THE WINDY CITY STOP OVER

We arrived in Melbourne early in the morning ( I think 7:20am).We had our first taste of the Melbourne weather the moment the airplane doors were opened and a cold gush of wind welcomed us all.

I was going to take photos of us with the airplane behind us, but I got told off. It's not allowed. I forgot about the 'Anti-Terrorism laws'.

Walking down towards terminal 4 to get our luggage.


Waiting for the Aralars (while they made their complaint) outside Terminal 3






When we got all our baggage, two of the Aralar's Suitcases were wrecked, so they had to go to the departure area of Tiger Airways and made their complaint. Unfortunately, as it is a budget airlines, they do not take any liabilities of the baggage handling. Tiger Airlines is a Singapore based company and they have
just started operating here in Australia a year or so ago. Apparently, another company does their baggage handling for them.







'Where'd the wheels go???'


So quick note, when you fly with Tiger Airlines, make sure your
suit cases are strong enough to withhold the intensity of the handling.


When you travel at such a cheap fare, average AU$300.00 from Darwin to Melbourne-Melbourne to Gold Coast, return, you don't really expect an excellent service, but one would think they would at least take
responsibility of the baggage from the time it's
deposited to their care

Another lesson learned....

Breakfast @ McDonald's. Waiting for our afternoon flight.

We waited for our afternoon flight inside Terminal three (Aralars, Macaranas and the Catungcans), while Ate Luz's mob ( Allan, Mona, Xander, Mary and Ate Lydia) took the sky bus at $26.00 per head(return) to go sightseeing around the city. They got back to the airport in the afternoon to catch their 4:something flight to the Gold Coast. Ours was at 2:25 (I think).

(Above) Gilbert Playing with his PSP while Jashkah and NetNet looks on and Little Miss pink enjoyed her headphone which was mistaken by the airport security as "SOMETHING UNUSUAL" in her bag when x-rayed.
(Right) Geovie, Jashkah, Lil' Miss Pink and Gilbert watching something funny in You Tube.

While we waited for our flight, the kids amused themselves with games, Internet, food-oh yeah lots of food!!! Krispy Kreme!!!

Jashkah found a petty job, collecting trolleys in the airport and apparently got paid 5cent per trolley returned...Uhhmmm...hello. Isn't your pocket money enough???

ITUTULOY..........

I AM BACK!!!

Well, hello there. Yup I am back back back.

I've got this big feeling of, 'where do I begin' to tell you the tale of fun, adventures, mishaps, lost items, forgetfulness and friendship?

If I was to sum it up, there would only be three words...FUN FUN FUN.

Let me start at the very first league of our journey.

Couple of days prior to our departure, we celebrated two of our friends birthdays. Clarabelle's on the 7th and Ate Luz's on the 8th.



Ate Luz's was a surprise birthday party which we all helped organize. It was fun scaring her off in her own house with the help of kuya Boy. We stayed so late that night, then the following night, around 10:30, we headed off to the airport.

From Clabelle's birthday to today, I've never had a decent night's sleep. I am literally looking like an over sized obese smiling zombie. Smiling because I had far too much fun in the last 20 days or so.

Though expensive, tiring, stressful, I would say I'd do it all over again. One of the many things I have learned from this experience is when one does something wrong along the way, we just laugh it off and make fun out of it. Had we traveled alone, by our selves without all our friends, we would have reached the red stress level alert close to breaking down point every inch of the way.






I therefore highly recommend traveling with friends you can depend on.

Ok, here ya go folks... The beginning to the end:

First flight out of Darwin:

We started the journey on the night of the 9th. All 18 of us headed off to the airport with all the gears which might have filled the entire 'Tiger' baggage compartment.

Of course, Clara was all so ready with her Melbourne Fashion sense. Black tights and black top with a hint of Fuchsia Pink all the way to the middle of her oh so long legs. Why would you be in Melbourne without a beanie? Of course her beanie was also black with a hint of Fuchsia Pink. The BOOTS!!! Who dares forget her boots???

The rest of us? We just knew we had to get
covered for the Melbourne
winter.











So here ya go folks. The first stage of the Gold coast/Melbourne adventure. I'll be posting blogs daily from here on setting forth our day to day activities. If I was to post all photos in one go, it might take the whole week to upload.


Hope this gives you a brief insight of what Gold Coast and Melbourne looks like....



Enjoy!!!


............I-TUTULOY (ano nga ba spelling non? ITUTULOY?)

LAST DAY IN THE GOLD COAST

Still here. Enjoying the life of a 'BLOODY TOURIST'. Heading off to Melbourne tonight 8:25 PM flight.

Pictures will come later. Lots of it!

I miss Ikki so bad!!!

BAKASYON/HOLIDAY/VACATION/VACACIONES

Often times, we think of 'HOLIDAYS' as treats and luxury afforded only by a few who are financially well endowed. Here in Australia, it is not the case. It's mandatory that employers provide at least 4 weeks (depending on how generous the company you're working for is) of holiday pays to permanent employees every year. I get 6.


Why it's mandatory? Because people would go bruhaha if they don't. Life here is so stultifying, you'd think everyday is yesterday. We wake up, go to work, come back home, cook, eat dinner, sleep, wake up, go to work, come back home, cook, eat dinner, sleep, wake up.....


That is the reason we need to go on holidays and go camping, etc. That is our government's way of looking after our physical and mental well beings.


In a way, I do consider it as a luxury because a lot of people around the world go without food for days end, let alone 'holidays' that we so covet for. So yes, it is luxury. I never stop being thankful for these mandates that we call necessities here in Australia, such as the 6 weeks holiday entitlements from work. Since when was holiday a cure for stress? And who said if you don't go on holiday for several weeks every year, you'll go insane?


No one really. The fact is, every hard worker earning meager dollars/pesos/lira/yen... feels this need, but not all are given this benefit and opportunity.


These past few weeks, we've worried so much on whether the accommodation we have booked is comfortable enough, whether it's got washing machine/dryer and sited concerns about how many bathrooms there are in each apartment, if the transportation we have chartered is going to be comfortable and efficient enough, whether our clothings will be comfortable enough for the winter winds in Melbourne, whether our beanies are going to insulate our heads enough not to get colds.


Sad to say I allowed my self to hanker for so much 'COMFORTS' on this impending holiday of ours, but totally disregarded and forgotten the unfortunates. I am usually someone who is socially aware and sensitive, but for the last few months, I have been pretty much the catalyst, planner and organiser of this trip that our friends and my family are about to embark. I've never allowed my self to think of the social woes.



Now that we're about to go, I've just suddenly thought of how lucky I am and how blessed my family is for having a choice. A choice of where to go, how to go, where to stay, what transportation to take, what clothes to wear and which luggage to take. All the frivolous glories that the ' LAND DOWN UNDER' has to offer.



Sometimes, I can't help but feel bad that I have so much, and yet kids from around world, such as these heartbreaking photos, can't even have the very basic necessities in life, such as water, to survive. Yet, we put so much emphasis on hotel specifications. Some sort of a conscience attack, I suppose.

It might be pre-holiday jitters, could be the stress after months of planning. Who knows? Point is, I am blessed. I am thankful. I just pray to God that this journey will be nothing but fun and may the good Lord take care of us all.

Hoping for a safe trip...

WTF

What the freakin' hell is wrong with bloggers?

My Header's duplicated itself on the side, without the edited photo of my eyes....and I can't delete it!!!

I tried deleting the element on the side, it's not happening!

I tried to delete the text...the real header above got deleted too.

What is happening????

6 MORE SLEEPS...

The intermittent house hold chores and career duties seemed to have taken it's toll on me. I started loosing my voice last week, and now, I am no longer enjoying this sexy voice because it already comes with chest pains from coughing a lot.


I've been too busy cleaning up, working and organising this impending trip down south. Yesterday, I finally went and see our Doctor and she advised me to rest for a couple of days if I want to go ahead with this holiday. Though I welcomed the idea of staying home, I can't help but worry about my responsibilities at work. On the other hand, I've got this little voice telling me , 'It's OK, your staff will survive for a couple of days without you'. I know they will. They're a bunch of brilliant and hard working people. Right Finance Reporting Team? I don't know why I sort of feel guilty whenever I go on leave from work. Maybe I'm feeling bad because it's heading towards the end of the financial year and I'm going???




Well, the past few days, I've started packing up, cleaning up and ringing up to confirm accommodation and transport arrangements for the 18 of us going down south. It's been a taxing week. Now, my body's giving in. Every thing's aching, I am barking more than Ikki and I am pissed off like crazy for not being able to do more things I've been meaning to do before we go.












The other week, I went to watch Elton john's concert, which was awesome/superb/amazing. But I did not enjoy it as much as I should because I was sneezing all the way through. I had hay fever like no other with a throbbing headache. I don't know why it had to happen in 'moments' like that.






As Expected, he sang Candle In The Wind, but the version for Marilyn Monroe.

Nonetheless, as I've said, it was an awesome concert. Why wouldn't it be? It's the eclectic Sir Elton john.

Something else I got busy with last week was my garden. All throughout

the wet season, I've just totally neglected my garden. So last week, when the computer was down, the vacuum cleaner's top bit went missing, the TV buggered and everything else didn't work, I decided I'll start working on my garden again. So I did....A little bit at least. More to do when I come back. But as you can see from these BEFORE and AFTER shots, I did a good start. Ayt?


Oh well, time to read a book and recuperate before the the big day arrives.

Catchyall if not soon, when I come back end of this month, hopefully with a brand new HP MTV design Notebook.....................