Click on the property name to view the listing on Airbnb, and take note of the date of stay. The property would have probably changed since then!

Green Oasis in Casablanca, Morocco

Date of stay: October 2011

Our first Airbnb experience! It’s a gorgeous house — one of those kinds that you see in magazines, and it looks exactly like it. We were unable to meet Christina, our host, but she made sure that we were taken care of.

Eleanna’s in Mykonos, Greece

Date of stay: October 2013

A cozy room in the center of Chora, the center of Mykonos. There were three of us staying in this space, and it was a good fit for us. There is a small kitchenette so we were able to prepare meals while we were there.

Semi-one Bedroom apartment in Bangkok, Thailand

Date of stay: October 2015

Booked this when I attended the Travel Blogger Exchange in Bangkok, which was held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The room is quite big, spacious for one or two people staying there.

Highlight ideal location studio in Taipei, Taiwan

Date of stay: November 2017

An apartment inside a mid-rise building in Zhongshan. Roomy for two, but can feel cramped if there are more of you in the room. It’s walking distance to the Huangshan 1916 Creative Park, which was the main purpose of our trip.

Central Park Modern Suite in Melbourne, Australia

Date of stay: May 2019

A private room inside a high rise condominium right smack in the middle of the Melbourne CBD. The host lives in the other room, and we have access to the kitchen and was able to put stuff in the fridge. Our room also has an ensuite toilet, and its own TV.

Have you tried staying at an Airbnb property yet? You can get $20 off your first qualified booking if you sign up using my invite code!

To be honest, I don’t want to write too much about the play itself, because I want to #KeepTheSecrets. Though the script of the play has been published as a book in 2016, it’s really just a very very small part of the entire production. You NEED to watch the play and experience the magical world of Harry Potter once again. I’m not even exaggerating. It’s really something else — it’s not like any stage production I’ve ever seen before. That’s the thing, it’s not just about seeing it: even now, while recalling the experience, I started feeling overwhelmed by emotions that the play evoked in me. It’s that powerful.

So I’ll just share some tips about watching the play in Melbourne, if you ever decide to watch it (and you should!)

Both parts in one day, or Part One on Thursday and Part 2 on Friday?

Since it’s a two-part play, you have the option to watch both on the same day (Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays), or on two consecutive nights (Thursdays and Fridays). Each part is about 2.5 hours long.

Personally, I was glad I booked the two consecutive evenings, because it gave me time to process all the ~feelings~. Part One ended on such a high that I was so pumped after leaving the theatre and was still riding that high the following morning. But if you’re only in Melbourne for a limited time, go for both parts on the same day.

Buying tickets and choosing the best seats

Tickets can be booked through the official Harry Potter and the Cursed Child website. Ticket prices start at AU$65 and goes all the way up to AU$175 for just one part. I was able to buy our tickets for AU$190 each for both parts. Our seats are in the middle of row H in the Dress Circle. It is the very last row of the theatre, but it gives you a wide view of the stage and the entire theatre. It does have some partial obstruction on the top, since the Grand Circle is right above us, but it just cuts off a small portion of the upper view of the stage (you won’t miss anything major).

One other thing to note: You need to climb up stairs to enter the Dress Circle, and climb up another set of stairs to get to the Grand Circle.

If I’m to buy tickets for the play again (and believe me, I am sorely tempted to!) I will most likely go for the Dress Circle again, but maybe in rows A through E. Row A would be optimal, since you get a really nice view of the stage, but of course, it comes with the hefty AU$350 price tag for both parts!

Living in Melbourne or traveling long term in Australia? You can take a chance to get last minute tickets for only $80 each by joining the Friday Forty lottery.

Applying for an Australian tourist visa

You can refer to my Australian tourist visa application guide for Filipinos for the full guide. If you’ve already purchased your tickets to the play, make sure to mention it in your application, and to include the confirmation email as part of your supporting documents.

Booking hotels or Airbnbs

When I am in Melbourne, I always stay at my sister’s house, but since I am seeing the play with a friend and since the play runs late in the evening, we opted to book an apartment through Airbnb right in the CBD.

Take advantage of Airbnb’s map search so you can pick a place near the theatre. Based on our search in the app, most of the places near the Princess’ Theatre are beyond or budget. Since we plan on doing some exploring in Melbourne aside from watching the play, we chose a place near Southern Cross station. This proved to be a great idea since 1) there’s a boom of new condominiums in the area, which resulted to more rooms available at cheaper prices, and 2) Southern Cross is pretty much the central station in Melbourne — it’s the terminus of the regional trains, Skybus from the airports, and all of the city trains pass through there.

From Southern Cross, you can also get on the number 86 or 96 tram to Spring Street/Bourke Street stop, and it’s just a short walk to the theatre.

Don’t have an Airbnb account yet? Sign up using my referral link and get $20 off your first qualified booking!

Pre-show dinner and after show nightcap

Our tickets was for two consecutive nights, so we made sure to have dinner before the 7:30 pm show. Since we love Asian flavors, we had dinner at Soi 38 (a literal hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant inside a carpark between Bourke Street and Little Collins) on the first night, and Juicy Bao (a Chinese restaurant with strong Dong Bei Binondo vibes in Little Bourke Street) on the second night. Both are very popular, so I would advise you head there early to make sure you can get a table and have enough time to eat before you need to head to the theatre. For coffee and desserts, check out a Melbourne institution: Pellegrini’s along Bourke Street

Shops, cafes, and some restaurants close early in Melbourne, so it’s really advisable to grab a bite before the evening show (or pay an arm and a leg for the snacks sold at the theatre). If you have a particular restaurant in mind, make sure to check their hours and days of operations, because it greatly varies per shop.

Dress code

The Princess Theatre is a grand old dame, very regal and a perfect venue for the play. That said, despite the amazing architecture and impressive interiors, there is no dress code. You can dress as fancy or as casual as you want, just make sure that you will be comfortable inside the theatre. Bring a jacket or a scarf in case it gets cold. Melbourne’s weather has some pretty wild mood swings, so be prepared for anything. Seriously. Make sure to check the hourly weather forecast on Weatherzone.

Programs and official merchandise

The Harry Potter play is a completely different entity from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which has ties with Warner Brothers. So expect the merchandise designs to be different and more modern, since the play is set in 2017 onwards.

Personally, I like the design much better than the aesthetic of the movie merchandise, and my friend and I greatly appreciate that the prices for the goods are not as steep (though not as extensive of a selection too).

If you’re on a budget, don’t worry because you get a freebie pin to remind you to #KeepTheSecrets.

Exploring Melbourne

Another great advantage of staying in the Melbourne CBD is that you can take advantage of the Free Tram Zone. We were able to travel from our Airbnb to the theatre without having to pay for our tram ride!

If you want to explore further though, you need to have a myki card. You can buy them at major train stations, myki machines, or retailers like 7-11. The card itself costs AU$6 each, and you need to top-up the card to cover your fares. The daily fare is AU$8.80 on weekdays, and $6.40 on weekeends. If you are only traveling within a 2-hour period, only AU$4.40 will be deducted from your card.

So what else can you do in Melbourne? Within the CBD, you can check out the exhibits at the National Gallery of Victoria (it’s just a short walk from Flinders Station, save your fare!), marvel at the La Trobe reading room inside the State Library, take that cliche Instagram shot with Melbourne street art at Hosier Lane, and have high tea at Hopetoun Tea Rooms inside The Block Arcade.

Beyond the CBD, you can compare the croissants of Agathe inside the South Melbourne Market and Lune in Fitzroy (they also have a CBD branch, but it’s closed on weekends), watch a movie at the beautiful art deco Sun Theatre in Yarraville, take that cliche Instagram shot with the Brighton Beach bathing houses, take a scenic ride aboard the Puffing Billy steam train, or ride a hot air balloon over Melbourne (or the Yarra valley vineyards).

I hope this helps you plan for your trip to watch Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Part One and Part Two! If you have any questions or want to share all your ~feelings~ about this play, just post them in the comments!

Even if you can’t watch the games inside the courts, you can watch the players practice. This is Practice Court 18, I think, which you can see from the bridge.

Aim to be there on the first two days

The entire tournament spans two weeks, but if you really want to see your favorite tennis players, it’s best to be there on the first and second days, because that’s when you’re guaranteed that ALL of the players are still in.

Case in point: Rafael Nadal, a top seeded player was defeated on his first match.

Top tier players play at night

Tickets available are for the day sessions (three games), night sessions (two games), and the grounds pass. The day and night sessions gives you access to the courts (either Rod Laver or Margaret Court) to watch the games, while the grounds pass only allows you admission into Melbourne Park. If you have tickets to watch the games, you can freely roam around the entire day (even if you are holding tickets to the night sessions).

You can also watch from the ground level. There are seats at one end, and a standing area on the side. Just make sure you get there early to get a good view.

Cla, Khursten and I bought tickets for the night sessions. Cla and Khursten both have tickets for the first day, while I only have tickets for the second night. As luck would have it, they were able to watch Roger Federer play on the first night, and Rafa Nadal was scheduled for the 2nd day. Unfortunately, since it was Lleyton Hewitt’s last singles tournament, he was given the night game spot on the 2nd night. As soon as we found out the game schedule (it’s released the day before), we lined up at the onsite ticket booth and exchanged our night session tickets for the day session ticket.

If you’re on a budget, but still want to see your idol in person, the grounds pass is okay. You can watch their practice session, and just watch the games from various areas across the grounds. I think you will also be able to watch the games inside the Hisense arena, but you’ll have to line up to get seats.

If you’re lucky, you can get a really good view of Feli. Photo credit: @cgines

Make sure to get a seat in the shaded area.

The sunlight in Australia is very harsh, so wearing sunscreen is strongly advised, along with a hat that shades your face and neck. Since Khursten and I were used to the weather here already, we forgot to tell Cla. She underestimated the UV rays, and was sunburned for days.

January is also the peak of the summer season in Australia, with the hottest days recorded usually during the Australian Open. On the first day of AO, temperatures soared up to 38°C. While it’s really tempting to wear as little as possible to combat the heat, a thin long sleeved top can greatly help you avoid getting roasted. Also, if it gets too hot outside, you can duck inside the arenas (just not into the main courts) for some air conditioned comfort.

If you are staying for the night session games, make sure to bring something to keep you warm in the evening, as temperature can drop drastically when the sun goes down (typically around 9-10 pm).

I only had one session ticket, and we got lucky because we were able to watch Rafa. Fortunately (or unfortunately), he got drawn to play Fernando Verdasco, and proceeded to have one of their epic matches that lasted for almost 5 hours. At least I got my money’s worth?

Apply for a visa after you buy your ticket online

Cla, who is a first time visitor to Australia, applied for a visa soon after we purchased our tickets online. She made sure to include the ticket with her application, and since she has also watched other Grand Slam tournaments, she included scans of her tickets to them, along with photos of her at the tournament itself (including a screenshot of her on tv in the stands during Roger Federer’s game, and for some reason, a photo of Roger).

Australian Visas are usually valid for 1 year after issuance, so there’s no problem if you apply as early as October for a trip in January. This also gives you ample time to appeal if your application gets denied. Also, visa processing can take up to 40 days, so save yourself the stress and apply early.

Our seats were pretty high up, but at least we were able to see the entire court, and can easily follow the ball without straining our necks. It sucks when a tall person is sitting in front of you, but sometimes, you get lucky and they leave midway through the game.

Opt to stay within the Melbourne CBD

If your main purpose in Melbourne is to watch the games, it would be better for you to stay within the city center. The CBD is actually quite tiny, and you can easily walk from Flinders Street Station to Melbourne park (about 20 mins walk). There are free trams within the CBD, and during the Australian Open last January, tram rides up to Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena were free.

Keep close watch on ausopen.com

If you’re aiming to see a specific player, you can keep track of the game and practice schedules on the AO website. They are usually posted the day before, around midday.

Buy tickets at Federation Square or at Birrarung Marr

If you have extra days in Melbourne and want to head back to Melbourne park, you can buy tickets onsite. There are plenty of ticket stalls in the Melbourne Park Grounds, but you can also buy them from the kiosks at Federation Square and Birrarung Marr. The lines here are markedly shorter than at the main entrance. The prices are the same anyway.

[EDIT] Apparently, they are making some changes in Melbourne Park, so this may change some things.

There are also these huge screens so you can see replays and priceless close ups like this pouty Rafa face.

Bring a picnic

One of the things I love about Australia is that in most places, you’re not forced to buy from overpriced concessionaires at tourist attractions and events. You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages inside the grounds and consume them inside. Just make sure to check what’s not allowed to be brought inside the grounds as stated in their website. Drinking fountains are also in abundance, so just make sure to bring a water bottle. It’s very dry here and can be very hot, so make sure to stay hydrated.

To those watching AO 2017, enjoy! It’s an amazing experience!

I’ve heard from friends and read in the comments section of my previous visa application guides that Philippine passport holders can now apply for an Australian tourist visa online. Since I do not like the stress that Manila traffic brings, and I do like doing business online, this was very appealing to me.

Create an ImmiAccount

The first step in applying for an Australian tourist visa online is to create an ImmiAccount. To create an account, you will need a valid email address. Make sure that you type in your email address correctly, and that you use an email address you regularly check. The embassy will be communicating with you using this address, so make sure that you check this email address often.

Application Form

Once you have created an account, you can start an application. This is basically the online, fillable version of Form 1419, so there is no need for you to download the form, fill it out, and upload it.

You can start filling out the application form, even if you have not completed compiling your documents yet. Make sure that the information you put in the application form are the same as the information in the supporting documents that you are submitting.

If you have filled out the form, but are not ready to submit yet, click on the Save button. This saves your answers in their database, and once you log back in, you can see your application, check the entries, and make edits.

Once you are ready to submit your application and upload your supporting documents, click on Submit.

Application Fee

When you submit your application form, you will be prompted to pay the Australian tourist visa application fee. For online applications, the only way to pay is through credit cards. If you do not have a credit card, or access to a credit card, I read that you can use prepaid debit cards.

Your card will be charged AU$135 + credit card surcharge fee. Based on BPI’s foreign exchange rate at the time, I paid Php 4,547.26. If you are applying via courier or VFS, the fixed visa fee is Php 4,900, and you would still have to pay for the VFS fee, courier fee, and the fee for the manager’s check.

Supporting Documents

I made sure that all of my supporting documents are complete before I submitted my application and paid the fee. I created my ImmiAccount and filled out the form on September 20, but I didn’t submit until October 5.

As soon as my payment has cleared, I uploaded my scanned documents. The Australian Embassy sets a limit of 30 files for Visitor Visa online applications, and none of the files must be more than 5MB in size. To keep file sizes small, they recommend that you scan your documents at 96 dpi, and to not attach photos in Office document files, as this will increase the file size greatly.

Since I know my documents will have more than 30 pages, I merged and grouped them together. Also, instead of submitting separate photo files, I created a collage on Photoshop and added captions. I saved them as Portable Document Files (optimized), and used a service like PDFMerge.com to merge the PDFs into one file.

Here are the documents that I submitted:

Passport Photo

They did not give any specifications for the photo file, so I just scanned my passport picture at 180 dpi and saved it as JPG.

Cover Letter

I wrote a letter addressed to the consul explaining the purpose of my trip, who will be sponsoring my trip, why I need a multiple entry visa, and the reason why I need to come back to the Philippines. I included the ways in which they can reach me, should they need to get in touch for an interview. I also mentioned that I will be traveling, and the dates when I will be out of the country.

The supporting documents I submitted corroborates the content of my cover letter, which means that I provided proof of the purpose of the trip, proof that my sponsor can afford to shoulder my trip, proof of my relationship with my sponsor, and proof of my activities and relationships in the Philippines.

Certified Identification Documents

This is a requirement of the embassy: a certified or notarized copy of my passport and birth certificate.

Letter of Invitation

In my previous applications, my sister would send me letters via mail, which I include with my documents. Since I am applying online, I told her to just email me, instead of writing a letter, which would have taken weeks.

In her email, she stated that she wants me to accompany our mother to Melbourne, and that she will provide our tickets, and that we have the option to stay at her house, or my other sister’s house. She also stated she wants us to have a short holiday in New Zealand.

Along with the email, I also included a scan of my mother’s passport and her visa grant letter (she has a 3-year multiple entry Australian tourist visa).

You can save the email as PDF by clicking on Print, and then selecting Save as PDF/Export as PDF in your browser or email client.

Sponsor Documents

Since my sister is my sponsor, I had her send me a copy of her passport bio page, as well as her last four payslips, as evidence that she has the capacity to shoulder the cost of our trip to Melbourne.

Business Registration

Since I am self-employed and have my own business, I included my business registration papers in lieu of a Certificate of Employment.

Income Tax Return

As evidence of my income, I attached my latest Income Tax Return, which was submitted to the BIR last April 2015.

Most Recent Credit Card Statement

I also stated in my application that I will be using my credit card as a way to pay for goods and services while in the country.

Bank Statements

I submitted the Statement of Account for the previous 3-6 months. I did not request for a Bank Certificate anymore.

Family Photos

This was comprised of photos of me and my two sisters when we holidayed together in Tasmania during my previous visit, photos of me with my sisters’ families in Melbourne, photos of me with my family in the Philippines, and photos of me with my friend Khursten when I visited her in Sydney in 2013, and when we traveled to Japan together in 2014.

Travel Plans in 2016

To show that I have strong reasons to come back to the Philippines after my trip to Australia, I included the plane tickets that I have already booked. Since one of my travel plans include accompanying my mother and aunt to their hometown in Sorsogon in 2016, I included a photo collage from our trip last summer with extended family members.

One of my close friends is also getting married next year, so I included a scan of their wedding invitation, photos of me and my close friend during our trip to Japan together last year, and a photo of me together with my friend and her fiancé.

Current Passport Visas and Stamps

Since the application checklist includes evidence of previous travels, I scanned all the entry and exit stamps from my previous travels in my current passport.

Previous Passport Visas and Stamps

My last Australian tourist visa is under my old passport, so I included it as well. My old passport also has my other visas, which includes a used visa for Canada, China, and Schengen, as well as valid multiple entry visas for Japan and the United States. I also included the pages with entry and exit stamps from my trips between 2011 and 2013.

Acknowledgement

I submitted my application in the early morning of October 5. I received an acknowledgement immediately after. On October 6, the Immigration and Visa Office of the Australian Embassy Philippines sent me an email requiring me to fill out a short online questionnaire. The questionnaire is basically the Application Checklist. Luckily, I was still at home when the email came, so I was able to quickly respond to their request.

This is why it’s very important that you type your email address correctly, and why you should always check your email after submitting your application online.

Grant Notification

Almost immediately after I submitted my filled out questionnaire, I left the house to go to the airport. By the following day, I received an email again from the Immigration Office, this time saying that my visa has already been granted.

To summarize my timeline:
September 20 – Created ImmiAccount, started filling out application form
October 1 – Requested statement of account from banks, notarized documents
October 2 – Scanned documents and created PDF
October 5 – Submitted application, paid visa fee, attached supporting documents
October 6 – Submitted Immigration Manila’s online questionnaire
October 7 – Received Visa Grant Notice

I remember back in 2006, when I first applied for an Australian visitor visa, I also submitted around this time of the year, and was granted in just a matter of days — I received notification of my visa grant while on a trip as well! Maybe there’s something about October?

Do you need a sponsor or to have a family in Australia to visit? Absolutely not! Many applicants are just there to tour the country. If you are a tourist, or visiting for a specific purpose (e.g. watching the Australian Open), make sure to include documents pertaining to them (tickets, bookings, etc.) with your application.

This is based on my personal experience in applying for an Australian tourist visa online. I’ve already written down everything I know. Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments. I’ll do my best to answer your questions, but I can’t really answer if your situation is different from mine (e.g. no work, no bank statement, no previous travel, etc.) however, there’s bound to be someone who is in the same boat, who may be able to answer your question. The visa discussions in the comments of this blog can get quite lively.

[EDIT October 22, 2015] Many in the comments both in this post and previous visa posts said that their application, even when lodged online took a month or more to get processed. I got really lucky with my application, and up until now, I don’t know why my application was granted so quickly. Is it because I said I was accompanying my 80-year old mother, because my sister is sponsoring me, because this is my third application, because I provided proof of my plans in 2016, or because I said I was going to watch the Australian Open?

Bear in mind that the Australian Embassy website that average processing time for a tourist visa is one month. To be safe, consider this as a minimum, rather than a maximum, and apply for a tourist visa as soon as you can, instead of waiting for the last minute and fretting over the long processing time as your flight date looms closer.

Beautiful Hobart

On this trip, however, my sisters and I were on our own, and I was able to see just how much a trip to Hobart would cost. Note that this is not a super budget trip: we stayed in a serviced apartment where we were able to cook most of our meals. Our main activity was a trip to the Museum of Old and New Art and the Salamanca Market. We walked everywhere, since our accommodation was centrally located. Also note that this covers the travel expenses for the three of us, excluding our personal shopping.

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My last sunset in Australia

Two and a half months whizzed by so fast, and though I didn’t do anything exciting during this trip, I feel that I am ready to go home and start a new chapter of my life.

This trip is not really about exploring a new place; all of the cities I visited outside of Melbourne (Hobart, Sydney, Geelong), were places I have been to before. It’s about trying out what’s all the hoopla about this location independent thing and to see if it’s for me.

I am very fortunate to have a job that I can take with me wherever I go. Unlike during my previous trips to Australia, this time I asked my client if I can work part time, instead of going on an un-paid leave for three months. To my delight, he agreed, with certain conditions: I get a pay cut, and that I log on at least for a couple of hours so we can discuss what’s needed to be done.

Before I left Manila, I also got contracted to do a couple of projects, which I do on the side. This helped me to recover the income I lost when I went part time. I continued working on them while I was here. With all these going on, you can see why I am not entirely in the mood to write anymore in my spare time.

Still, I am glad to have this trial run, in a place where there is very low risk for me. I do not need to pay rent here, and most of my meals are subsidized. The question in my mind now is, how will I fare when I’m completely on my own?

I guess I’ll just have to find out soon.

One of the best things about Shangri-la are their personal welcome messages. Aside from this chocolate-y surprise and welcome note, there’s also a personal message on the TV sreen.

It was just as well, since I was able to catch some great exhibits at the National Gallery of Victoria, score some great deals at Kathmandu, and get the full Australian winter experience. Best of all, another e-mail came from Shangri-La while I was here. It was really lucky because they have a few properties in Australia, and since I was headed to Sydney to visit Khursten, they invited me to stay at the Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney.

The dark grey bar in the TV shows is a personal welcome note to the occupants of the room. They have this in all of the Shangri-la Hotels

I was ecstatic upon getting the invitation, and could not contain my excitement. I reigned it in though, when I told Khursten. She has just arrived in Australia, and I wanted to surprise her with something special since it might be years before we see each other again.

When we got to Circular Quay, I started walking towards Shangri-La, trying vainly to stop looking at the towering building. There’s no direct access from Circular Quay, and Khursten offered to do the navigation, care of Google Maps. I gave her the address, and she led us up the stairs through the posh neighborhood of The Rocks, ending up right at the hotel. She looked around, wondering where 176 Cumberland Street was, when I said “we’re here,” while pointing out the gold Shangri-La sign by the building’s side entrance.

I’ve a feeling Khursten liked this surprise.

She was shocked and amazed, and I was just relieved and hoped that it was good enough to make up for me letting her slather a huge dollop of Vegemite on her buttered bread.

We headed up to the reception, and thanks to Shangri-La’s express check-in, wherein you are asked to send your personal information to the hotel via email after receiving your booking confirmation, we were on our way to our room on the 18th floor in no time.

Who wouldn’t want a view like this?

I let Khursten enter the room first, and just a couple of steps in, she squealed, delighted by the view from our room. All of Shangri-La Sydney’s rooms have gorgeous views of the city: there are rooms that face the Sydney Opera House, rooms that have a view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Darling Harbour, and the best of all, rooms with a grand view of the bridge and the opera house. What made it even better are the window seats you can perch on while soaking in the sights.

I take certain joy in going for a swim during winter.

Though we were enamored with the view, we had to pry ourselves from the window to change to our swim suits (or bathers, as the Aussies call them), for a quick dip in the pool before dinner. The Shangri-La Hotel Sydney has an indoor pool where you can swim laps, but also getting its fair share of attention was the jacuzzi where you can soak all your troubles away. Well, not really, but soaking in hot water after walking around all day is a very yummy treat.

View from the 36th floor

We met with Jessica Somers-Haggie, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney’s Director for Communications for dinner at Altitude Restaurant on the 36th floor. Though the view from our window on the 18th floor was already spectacular, the view from the restaurant’s floor to ceiling windows are simply exquisite, specially with the glittering lights from the buildings, houses, streets, cars, and boats below. Not surprisingly, the restaurant and the connected Blu Bar are two of the hottest spots in Sydney for New Year’s Eve.

Barramundi and octopus

We were ushered to a table with the same grand view as in our room, and our attention was immediately taken by the menu presented. There were so many interesting dishes in the menu that it was hard to choose, so we let Chef Matthew McCool choose for us. Aside from the ala carte menu, Altitude Restaurant offer an Epi-curious menu, a 7-course degustation menu that takes you through a sampling of Altitude’s best sellers from start to finish. For the more adventurous eaters like us, you can opt for the Chef’s Menu, a 9-course degustation, which leaves you at the mercy of the chefs.

Very very tender wild boar and black pudding

It’s not Fear Factor, but rather a series of delectable surprises. We were introduced to unfamiliar ingredients, we marveled at combinations we never thought would work, and we delighted in the wonders of meat cooked the way we never thought possible (like the very tender wild boar). If you ever get a chance to dine at Altitude, indulge yourself and go for the Chef’s Menu.

We were served a pre-dessert, a dessert, post-dessert petite fours, and macarons to take away!

After dinner, we waddled down to our room, too full and sated for anything else. We did manage to resist the call of our fluffy beds, Khursten opting for the work desk for her readings, and I to the arm chair to upload photos. The call of the cushions became insistent, and in just an hour after, we were burrowing under the covers.

It was another beautiful sunny day in Sydney when we woke up, and the first thing we did upon getting up was to walk to the windows and take in the sight of the harbour. A cruise ship has pulled in that morning, and we chuckled that we can see what’s playing in the ship’s huge outdoor theatre screen.

I love bacon, but this fresh fruit smoothie thing was sooo good!

We headed down to the first floor for breakfast at Cafe Mix. Like most hotel breakfast buffets, it offers an extensive variety of breakfast fare for all kinds of diet and preference. What impressed me the most was the lovely display of milk and juices in one side, and the freshest honey, straight from a honeycomb. Cafe Mix is their all-day dining restaurant, which was also the venue of last year’s Philippine Food Festival. Chefs from Shangri-La Hotels in Makati were flown in for the occasion, and we were please to know that it wasn’t just Filipinos who enjoyed the spread of Filipino cuisine. The make-your-own halo-halo was a big hit, according to Jessica.

Can’t get any fresher than this

We retreated back to our room after breakfast to savor our last couple of hours at the hotel before checking out. Khursten ran a bath and continued her reading there, while I lost myself in the annoyingly addicting Mirrors of Albion game. There’s complimentary wi-fi throughout the entire hotel and there’s a power point right beside my bed, so I was snug as a bug in bed with my tablet.

Beds you’d want to roll around in all day

As 11 o’clock loomed near, we bade one last look at the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge and sighed wistfully. It really is one of the most beautiful harbours in the world.

Full album from our Shangri-La stay at the Just Wandering Facebook page.

Huge thanks go out to Jessica for the lovely time at the Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, and to Bonnie Ang of Shangri-La for making this possible.

Finding cheap eats in Australia, while not impossible, means doing your research well ahead in time or having a great luck in stumbling upon such places. A sure fire way to ensure you get good, cheap food though, is to hit the supermarkets.

My sisters and I are traveling in Hobart, Tasmania at the moment, and we’re staying at a serviced apartment. What’s great about this place is that not only is it centrally located, it also has a kitchenette so we can cook most of our meals.

We ate at a casual dining restaurant when we arrived yesterday, and the bill came out to $66. We hit the supermarket for supplies, and was able to prepare breakfast, lunch and two dinners for about $100. Our meals include roast chicken, bacon, eggs, pasta salad, lamb steak, mee goreng (albeit the instant kind), desserts (cups of tiramisu, mud pie, lemon cheesecake, creme caramel), fruits, a bottle of Moscato wine, and of course, the Asian staple, rice.

Don’t know how to cook or don’t have a kitchen? Not a problem, since ready to eat meals are available in the deli section of the market. You have a choice of salads, pies, roast chicken, and sushi rolls. It’s also best to buy your drinks at the supermarket as well, since a $0.79 bottle of water there sells for $2 in the shops.

Of course, treat yourself sometimes and eat out to try the local specialities. Cooking just gives you the option to make your money take you farther and experience more.

Ever since I started traveling with a smartphone, I’ve been religious about posting these mini blog entries to update about where I am, and what I have been doing. Yet, I have been here in Australia for a month now, and haven’t blog anything.

I suppose that’s the down side to living like a local — you get engrossed with daily life to sit down and write about it. I have been updating my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, so if you want to see what I’ve been up to, you can follow me there.

[Update: September 15, 2014] Philippine passport holders can now apply for an Australian tourist visa online through the IMMI website. Application fee must be paid via credit card. You can still apply in person through VFS.

I am not a visa officer, nor am I migration agent. I am in no way affiliated with the Australian Embassy Manila nor with the Australian government. This post comes from my experience with preparing and submitting visa applications for family members and for myself. Also note that this entry pertains to my experience in applying for an Australian tourist visa in April 2013. This is geared towards applicants who holds a Philippine passport, though the preparation can be applied for other nationalities as well. The Australian immigration update their forms every 3 months. I will try to answer your questions the best way that I can, but bear in mind that I can’t answer all your questions. If you ask a question I’ve already answered in the post, I will ignore you.

After almost seven years, I finally have an update to my now epic How to Apply for an Australian Tourist Visa series. I have written two posts on the topic, both garnering over a thousand comments, with one getting over 4,500! I have stopped replying to comments, since I don’t think I’m not the best person to be talking about it, as my knowledge of the visa process is largely obsolete, so the visitors have taken upon themselves to answer each other’s questions, with successful applicants coming back to share their good news and help others. It has become a mini forum of sorts and I have to admit I’m happy it turned out that way. I found it to be a great help when I took another chance to apply for an Australian tourist visa once more.

Before I get to the visa application process, here’s some background about me and my circumstances: I am a Philippine passport holder, and have applied and received a visa from Australia before. I have a valid US Visa, with used tourist visas to Canada, Japan, and Myanmar. I also have more than 70 arrival and departure stamps from various countries, and that’s just in one passport. I am single and have my own company registered with the DTI. I have a bank account and a couple of credit cards, and I have two sisters who live in Australia, one of which is a temporary resident and the other a citizen. My intention to visit was for a short break from life in Manila, and to hopefully visit places I missed during my first two trips to the Australia.

Step 1: Download and read the necessary pages, documents, and forms.

This is very important, I can’t stress that enough. It won’t do to just ask questions without reading these web pages and documents first, because you’ll look like an idiot. Majority of your questions would likely be answered by the information written in these files. All these are available for download at the Australian Immigration website, immi.gov.au, and they are all free.

• Visitor Visas (Subclass 600) information page
• Application for a Visitor visa – Tourist stream (Form 1419)
• Visitor visa (Subclass 600) Application document checklist
• Charges and fees (Form 990i)
• Pricing Estimator

There is no need to print all of those pages or forms (unless you prefer to read them off the computer), but the one thing you should print is the visa application form. It’s a fillable form, wherein you can type in your answers on the form itself and print it afterwards. If you use Adobe Reader to open it, it will not save the changes to the form, so fill it out only when you are ready to print and submit. However, if you’re using Foxit PDF Reader, it can save the changes to the form, so you can fill it out and edit it later on before printing.

Step 2: Gather the required documents

Page 15 of Form 1419, Part M is actually an application check list. The column on the left lists all the required documents, while the column on the right lists the additional documents you may submit.

Here are the documents I submitted:

• Certified true copy of the identity page and pages with visa stamps of my valid passport
• Recent passport photo taken within the last six months
• Visa application charge in manager’s or cashier’s check

The Australian embassy do not affix visa labels anymore, so there’s no need to send your passport when you apply, unless you specify that you want a visa label. I would have done this, but the label costs AU$70.

Step 3: Gather your supporting documents

Here are the supporting documents I submitted. Remember that this vary depending on your circumstance. You’re not required to submit all of these, but it is advised that you submit as much supporting documents as you can to prove that you can fund your trip to Australia, and that you have a strong reason to come back to the Philippines.

• Birth certificate printed on security paper
• Certified true copy of my DTI Registration
• Certified true copy of my BIR Registration (Form 2303)
• Certified true copy of my Income Tax Return (From 1701)
• Certified true copy of the invitation letter from my sister
• Certified true copy of my sister’s pay slip
• Certified true copy of my sister’s passport bio page and employee ID
• NBI Clearance
• Bank statement
• Credit card statement
• Itinerary

The Australian immigration require that all photocopied documents you submit are certified true copies. You can do this by going to the Notary Public.

If you look at the form, it doesn’t list the birth certificate as part of the documents needed. I included it anyway, since I have an extra copy. Also, when I called to have my document picked up, they mentioned something about the NSO and I asked if I still need to get another since I already have a SECPA copy. They said I can include my copy instead of getting a new one.

Supplementary reading: How to apply for birth, death, and marriage documents in the Philippines – National Statistics Office (NSO)

The NBI clearance isn’t really required either, but I included it since I have it anyway. I got it because it was required in the previous form, 48R. A medical isn’t required, but you may be required to get one if you are applying for a 6-month visa, or if you’re over 75 years old. The medical is only done through accredited clinics. From what I understand, you have to submit your application and use the reference code the embassy will give you when you go for your medical.

I also included a cover letter [Download sample of intent letter] explaining the purpose of my trip and that I wish to get a multiple-entry visa, since I want to make a side trip to New Zealand. This isn’t really necessary, since the form now asks for your trip’s purpose. You are also asked to provide an itinerary of your trip, though you are not required nor advised to make any bookings until your visa is approved.

Step 4: Buy a manager’s check for the visa fee

The visa fee is AU$115, which is Php 5,100, based on the conversion rate at the time. Please double check the fees and the conversion rate, as this can change anytime. I bought my manager’s check from BDO, since I have an account there. Based on the comments in the previous blog posts, there are banks that would not let you buy a manager’s check if you don’t have an account with them. Best to call and inquire with the banks in your area if they’ll let you buy a manager’s check from them even if you don’t have an account.

Step 5: Lodge your application

Required reading: Where to Apply

You don’t have to go to the embassy to submit your application. There are two ways to submit: you can either call the embassy hotline and have them pick up your documents or submit them in person at the VIA Center.

I opted to go with the call center, since it was summer and don’t want to be away for too long from my electric fan. Calling the hotline costs Php 32 per minute, not including the charges from your network provider, if you are calling from a mobile phone. My phone call took about 10 minutes (which included a long wait for them to finish a spiel, and another wait for an operator to be available), and cost me Php 339.29. If you’re going this route, listen closely at the start of the spiel, because there is an option to skip that and go directly to request for a pick up.

The courier fee for Metro Manila is Php 320, paid directly to the messenger who will pick up your documents. This fee covers both pick up and delivery after your application as been processed.

VIA Center have offices in Makati and Cebu.

Step 6: Wait for your visa

Visa processing takes about ten days all the way to 30 days. I called to have my documents picked up on Tuesday, April 2, 2013. It was almost 5pm when I called, and was told that they have already reached the quota for pick up the follwing day. My documents were picked up on Thursday, April 4. I received a text from the embassy that my documents were received on Monday, April 8.

By the third week of April, I was wondering what’s happening to my application. Someone who commented on my previous post said her application was received around the same time and she already has her visa. I started worrying when someone who submitted a week after I did said she already got her visa grant. That’s when I also found out that the embassy conducts phone interviews.

Apparently, they don’t do this to all applicants, only for those they feel they need to clarify certain answers to the application form. Worry changed to distress when I missed not one, but FOUR calls from the embassy. The first call was to our house phone, and my sister gave them my mobile number since I was out of the house. The first call to my mobile came while I was struggling to get off a packed LRT, so I had to cancel it. The next two came when the phone was in silent mode because I was at an event. You can just imagine how frantic I was.

I ended up calling the number, but it was the consulate’s trunkline number. I was told to just call the visa information number (845 9200). Because I do not know how to follow instructions, I called the hotline instead, and was told to send them an e-mail, which can be found on the immigration website. I sent an e-mail using the contact form there, and did not receive any response.

On May 7, just a day shy of one month since they received my documents, I called the hotline again, after getting no response or call from the embassy. The operator took pity and gave me a number to contact, which is the consulate hotline. I wasn’t able to talk to anybody, but I did get an e-mail address. I sent another e-mail, which again did not receive any response.

I finally got a text on May 14 that my documents have been dispatched to the courier for delivery. It did not mention if my visa was granted or not. My documents came the following day, and I was so relieved that my application was granted. It wasn’t a multiple entry visa, as I was hoping for. The visa was granted on May 10, and since it was a long weekend, it wasn’t dispatched until after election day.

Unlike before, the embassy not just issue visa grant letters for tourists. You need to bring this when you leave Manila, as the local immigration would ask for your visa before they stamp you out of the country. Also, instead of having a one-year validity, my Australian tourist visa is only valid until November 2013.

Supplementary reading: Frequently Asked Question – Australian Embassy Manila

I hope you find this helpful. I would also suggest you check the previous entries, How to apply for an Australian visa and Applying for an Australian tourist visa, because the discussions over there are a great resource, as it have inputs from applicants with different circumstances.

You’re welcome to post your questions here, but please read the entire blog post and read all the documents I linked to before asking. Did you apply for an Australian tourist visa recently? How was your experience?

[Update: September 15, 2014] Philippine passport holders can now apply for an Australian tourist visa online through the IMMI website. Application fee must be paid via credit card. You can still apply in person through VFS.

I am not a visa officer, nor am I migration agent. I am in no way affiliated with the Australian Embassy Manila nor with the Australian government. This post comes from my experience with preparing and submitting visa applications for family members and for myself. Also note that this entry pertains to my experience in applying for an Australian tourist visa in October 2006. The Australian immigration update their forms every 3 months. I will try to answer your questions the best way that I can, but bear in mind that a lot has changed since 2006. If you ask a question I’ve already answered in the post, I will ignore you.

I’ve been getting quite a lot of inquiries about how to apply for an Australian visa so after a year of this post being in the draft, I’m finally writing it (with hopes of finishing it within 2 hours).

1. Download and read the necessary forms and documents for your visa class.

Everything you need to know about Australian visas are in the official Australian Immigration website at www.immi.gov.au. If you’re just going to visit Australia as a tourist, you fall under Tourist Visa (Subclass 676). The corresponding documents for this visa subclass are:

• Infosheet 20
• Form 48R
• Application document checklist

All files are in PDF format and would require Adobe Reader to open.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship of Australia regularly review and update their visa-related documents and requirements. It’s important that you have the latest edition for your reference, as well as the forms you will fill in.

[UPDATE April 5, 2013] Please note that as of March 23, 2013, the visa subclass for Australian tourist visa is subclass 600 and the application form is now form 1419.

2. Collect the documents needed and make copies of each.

The documents needed for every tourist visa application are listed in the forms. Once you have completed the documents, start filling in the forms. When filling out the form, carefully read the instructions and questions.

The Australian visa application requires you to pay a visa application fee of AU$100. There is an online conversion tool in the immigration website that shows the rate in your currency. The fee must be paid with a manager’s or cashier’s check issued by your bank for the Australian Embassy. Once you have completed your documents, filled in the form and acquired the manager’s check, make copies of everything. Seperate the originals and the copies.

3. Call the Australian Embassy hotline.

The hotline numbers to call for visa application pick up in the Philippines are as follows:

For PLDT/Smart/Touchcard Subscribers 1 (909) 362 – 2779
For Globe/Innove/Touchmobile Subscribers 1 (900) 362 – 2779
For Bayantel Subscribers 1 (903) 362 – 2779

Source: Visitor Information and Application Australia

This is considered a long-distance call, so brace yourself for the ginormous phone bill (Php 32 per minute). The hotline is available Mondays to Fridays, 6am – 8pm, and Saturdays, 8am to 6pm. If you are just calling to inquire about the visa application process, you can call the free hotline at (02) 845-9200.

Schedule for a visa pick up. The agent will ask you questions about your application, so better have your documents with you for reference. After the question and answer portion, the agent will then give you instructions regarding the pick-up and return of your documents. You are encouraged to be there when the FedEx guy picks up the documents. By the way, the courier fee is not included in the Australian visa application fee, so be ready to fork out around Php 300 for Mr. FedEx. This fee covers both the pick up and return delivery.

UPDATE (July 5, 2011): The process has changed since this post’s writing. Here’s the new process for submitting your application, according to the VIA website:

1. Phone-in / Book for a roundtrip Courier Service.
This service is a phone-in option that includes the pick up of the completed Application Form and supporting documents from the applicant’s given address and delivery after processing at the Embassy. This service is available nationwide and involves a flat rate; roundtrip courier fee.

2. Walk-in / Direct Lodgment at the VIA Centre
This is a walk-in option where an applicant or an authorized representative can directly submit the completed Application Form and supporting documents at the Embassy’s Visa Information and Application (VIA) Centre. This option involves a lodgment service & handling fee which includes the one-way delivery by courier after processing.

Source: VIA.ph

4. Start the agonizing wait for denial or approval.

Visa processing can take from three days to one month. The shortest visa processing we had was three days, I think, and the longest was one month. That one month was due to the high influx of visa applications, as my sister applied on the last week of November. Apparently, a lot of Filipinos are applying for visas during this time (probably hoping to spend Christmas in Australia with their families).

So there you have it! I hope this is helpful in someways. If you have any questions, just post them in the comments area, and I’ll try to answer as best as I can

We went to the nearby beach and I saw this rock covered in what I thought was black pebbles. They turned out to be baby mussels.

 
Hobart, Tasmania’s capital, is the second city founded in Australia, next to Sydney. It is the island’s main gateway to the rest of Australia and the world. It is also one of the main port for ships headed to Antarctica, and recently, regular flight service.

Bob the dog loves going to the beach.

 
When people hear that I planned on heading over to Tasmania, they all gushed at how beautiful the place was, and how Hobart has such beautiful buildings. After hearding all their praises, I couldn’t wait to go to Tasmania.

If this is the view you wake up to everyday, would you ever have a bad day?

 
I was supposed to go by myself, as a birthday present. I got the hot air balloon ride instead, and I thought I would have to kiss my Tasmanian trip goodbye. There was something else planned for me, it seemed. My brother-in-law received an invitation from an old client and friends to spend Christmas in Tasmania. With careful juggling of our busy schedule, we finally booked our flights in and out of Hobart.

Flying kites on a clear day

 
We didn’t really stay in Hobart. From the airport, we just made a quick stop to pick up supplies from the city and headed an hour and a half out of Hobart and into Police Point, where our host have a farm. Upon seeing the gorgeous plot of land (and my equally wonderful room), I was glad I didn’t go to Hobart alone.

This is one of the plants that is pretty abundant in the beaches and the mountain.

 
After the busy couple of weeks we’ve had, it was great to be able to relax in Tasmania. The views from the house was splendid: fields of hay, towering trees, the sparkling blue Huon, and the mountains of Cygnet across the river. It rained a lot during our stay there, and for once I didn’t really mind it. The rains keep Tasmania fertile, and it leaves us with spectacular rainbows.

They stick to your shoes and pants, so better wear your trainers and pants when you go hiking in Tasmania.

 
In my previous post, I said Tasmania was the most beautiful place I’ve been to in Australia. I guess I said that because it was so unlike the rest of Australia. Where as the mainland is mostly dry and barren, in Tasmania you’re never far from water.

There are no chestnuts, but there is a fire. Perfect for warming up on a chilly night.

 
While standing on Recherche Bay, soaking in the beauty we see before us, my sister turns to me and said it reminds her of our parent’s hometown, Bulusan. I then realize what it is about Tasmania that charmed me most. If you’re like me who grew up in Manila, one of the reasons you’d like Melbourne and Sydney is because it’s so different from Manila. The charm of Tasmania on the otherhand, is that it reminds you of the Philippines.

The most memorable toilet I have encountered in 2007. Yes, that is sawdust you see inside the toilet. Absolutely no water in this potty.

Then again, it may have just been the homesickness and the excitement about going home that’s talking. But given the chance, Tasmania ranks high on the places I’d always go back to.

It’s been quite memorable, these two Australian trips. I was able to live in a different country for almost 6 months. On the first trip, I was so excited about being overseas once again. Homesickness set in about after a month after my arrival. On this trip though, the homesickness set in nearer to my departure date. It was Christmas you see, and Christmas is usually spent with family and friends. I did get to spend Christmas with family and friends in Tasmania (and had a blast, actually), but it’s still diffferent. Not that it’s bad, but Christmas in Manila is something I really missed.

I feel my heart racing with anticipation; in less than 10 hours I will be back to the city I so love. I am looking forward to seeing her again, to discovering the changes that happened while I was away. And maybe see how the Manila Peninsula looks now.

I also feel a twinge of sadness though. Melbourne has been good to me. I spent my last two days in Melbourne buying bilins and pasalubongs. Coming home from overseas without gifts is a big no-no. Though while I was in a hurry to complete my errands, I didn’t run. I want to savor every last moment that I spend walking through Melbourne’s streets.

I don’t know when I will see Melbourne again. A part of me wishes it to be soon, yet another part yearns for Manila. I would like to see more of the Philippines, so Melbourne will have to wait. But I know I will come back.

As you probably know by now (if you’ve been reading my blog long enough), I am computer dependent. Make that Internet dependent. My main source of income is made through the Internet, and much of my free time is spent on the Internet. The same can be said for my sister and her brother-in-law, though they have more productive things to do in their spare time (if they have any). Doing research online is second nature to me. I hardly ever go anywhere without Googling it first, and reading all I can about it. One of my biggest frustrations was finding a place for us to stay in Horsham.

Unlike Ballarat, where I quickly found a site with a listing and links to various caravan parks in the area, there was none in Horsham. When I did find a handful though, none were as close to the venue where brother-in-law will be teaching, as Horsham Caravan Park. And they don’t have a website. Not knowing the facilities they have or amenities they offer or even how the park look like, we made the call and booked ahead.

We were lucky we did because when we got there, the place was full. Not surprising, because for AU$75 per night, we got a cabin that can fit 3 adults and 2 small kids, a refrigerator, a grill and stove, airconditioning, heater, and an ensuite toilet and bath. What they don’t have are sheets for the beds, blankets for the cold nights, not even pillows! We were adviced to bring the beddings when we called, but weren’t told about the pillows. For a small fee, we were able to “rent” 5 VERY thin pillows.

The Horsham Caravan Park is run by the local YMCA. Apart from the cabins, there are also numerous powered and unpowered sites for caravans, as well as camping sites. The caravan park was very rustic, a complete opposite of Lake Wendouree Tourist Park, which looked and feel like the gated villages back in Manila. The upside though, is that apart from the great price, it is sandwiched between the Wimmera River and the Horsham Botanical Garden. Since the park personnel knew we had kids with us, they gave is the cabin nearest the Botanical Garden’s barbeque area and playground.

Another great thing about Horsham Caravan Park’s location is that it is in Firebrace street — Horsham’s main street. Though we are at the other end of the city centre, being at Firebrace made it easy for us to navigate through the small town (thanks in part to the map the tourist centre gave us). After dropping of brother-in-law at work, we drove around to see what Horsham had to offer. With the shopping centre properly scrutinized, we delved into the inner streets and made our way to Apex Island.

A map of Horsham shows this small island in the Wimmera River. Marked as Apex Adventure Island, it piqued our interest. With the map in my hands, I felt a frisson of excitement; I love maps. I love reading them, and I love navigating with them. Even if we ended up in streets we weren’t supposed to be in. But I still managed to get us to where we wanted to go. We spot a footbridge, parked and scrambled out of the car. Apex Island, here we come!

We crossed the wooden footbrige and came down on a small scrap of land. Is this it? The so-called adventure island? There was another bridge crossing over to the other side, and we went over that as well. It turned out that it wasn’t Apex island; it was just a small lagoon that wasn’t properly marked in the map. Our efforts wasn’t in vain though, as there were ducks in the water. As soon as we crossed the bridge, the ducks started paddling towards us. This must have been a favorite spot for tourists and locals alike, as the ducks seem to be expecting us to shower them with bread.

A few minutes passed, with us humans just cooing at how cute the ducks were, the ducks gave up and started paddling away. We took that as our cue to go as well, and made our way back to the bridge. As we were about to go up the first bridge, I noticed this one bird (a purple swamphen, I was told) who was following us. We got back to the little island, and he was still following us! Up over the second bridge, and he was still there.

“Mommy, it’s still following us,” said my niece. “Tell it to stop following us!”

“The bird doesn’t understand our language,” my sister replied. “It understands duck language. Maybe if we quack he’ll go away.” So my sister did this funny imitation of a duck, and with some wing flapping and some wild quacking, the bird finally went back to the lagoon. Probably thought we were loony.

Stalking birds aside, Horsham was a pleasant and very quiet town. After a day spent in the playgounds and the small shopping centre, we ended it with dinner at one of the local Chinese restaurants. We stumbled upon two Chinese restaurants, standing side by side in one of the smaller streets. Which one do we enter? The one where there are more people, of course.

Not a lot of people were dining inside, but there where plenty of people coming in an ordering food for take away. The dishes we ordered tasted good enough. Not quite like Chinatown, but passable for a place housing the only other Asian we saw in Horsham. This small sleepy town may not be near the top of your list of places to see in Victoria, but its has its charms (stalker birds included). Besides, how can you pass up a place that has a Chinese garden restaurant called “Toy’s” that has its own mini-golf course and a great wall of China within its complex?

The four-part series has ended with this post, and the contest for the Lonely Planet travel journal ends soon! Quick, you still have a couple of hours to whip up your winning entry!

We left Ballarat early. After a quick stop at the bank and stocking up on provisions at the nearest Aldi, we drove under the Arch of Victory, passing the elm trees planted along the road, commemorating all the soldiers from Ballarat, who died in the war.

Though Horham is less than 200 kilometers away from Ballarat (about 2 1/2 hour’s drive), it took us almost a whole day’s worth of driving to arrive at our new home for the night. You see, instead of driving directly to Horsham, we took a scenic drive that took us through the Wind farm, the small town of Ararat, and Halls Gap, where we were introduced to Gariwerd.

The Grampians is this rocky mountain range, whose peaks are made of sandstone. It was believed that 300 million years ago, the area east of the ranges were underwater. Hence the presence of sand on mountain ranges that are 250 miles inland. The Grampians was given its name by Sir Thomas Mitchell after the Grampian Mountains in his native Scotland. The native Aboriginals though, already had a name for it: Gariwerd.

Hall’s Gap is the town closest to Gariwerd. It is the starting point for many tourists who come to explore the Grampians. If and when you find yourself in Halls Gap, make the tourist information office your first stop. Here you can get a map of the various loookout points offering the best views of Gariwerd. Before driving up the long and winding mountain road though, there’s a couple more stops you need to do.

First is a visit to the Brambuk the National Park and Cultural Centre. The area around Gariwerd has been home to the Djab Wurrung and the Jardwadjali tribe of Aboriginal Australians. The Brambuk cultural center preserves the history culture of is indegenous people in the centre through various exhibits. A must-watch before heading up the mountains are the two films shown at the centre’s Dreaming Theatre.

The ‘Gariwerd Creation Story’ depicts the Aboriginal legend of Tchingal the giant emu and War the crow and the formation of the Grampians/Gariwerd mountains.

‘Gariwerd a Cultural Landscape’ illustrates the geology, flora and fauna, Aboriginal and European history and the various uses of the Grampians.

Source: Brambuk – the national park and cultural centre

The two films gives you a better understanding (and hopefully, better appreciation) of the area. The AU$5 (adult) ticket is for both movies. The Dreaming Theatre is not just a theatre; there are displays and models on each side of the room, and giant emu. The giant emu was enough to freak out two adults (me and my sister). Imagine how my niece reacted while the movie was playing, and the emu’s red eyes started glowing. My niece didn’t want to finish the movie anymore, so I was left alone inside the small theatre with the giant emu. Luckily, the lights remained off during the 2nd movie.

With the giant emu behind us (but unfortunately, not forgotten), we hopped back into the car and drove back to Halls Gap’s centre for some ice cream. While enjoying my spearmint chocolate chip and Oreo cookie ice cream on waffle cone, I noticed the sign outside the ice cream shop. Now available, it says, are milk shakes, thick shakes and…spiders?! Noticing my apparent shock, my brother-in-law quickly explained that spiders is this drink wherein they put a scoop of ice cream on a glass of lemonade, much like a rootbeer float. Hmm, spiders. Must try that next time.

Suitably cooled off by the ice cream, we got into the car and started the drive up Gariwerd. Excuse the cliche, but it really was a long and winding road. And we only went to the two nearest lookout points. We have been driving since 9am, and it was already 4pm by then. All of us were tired and well on our way to cranky. The views were worth the long drive though. You get a clear view of the tops of the other mountain ranges and the surrounding countryside. Exhaustion seem to fade away as you take in the beauty of the Grampians.

Finishing with our day’s to-see list (and finishing off my camera’s battery), we drive on towards Horsham. As we were driving through the countryside, we have been seeing signs warning drivers of the presence of kangaroos in the area. I’ve never seen a kangaroo on the road, save for roadkill, so it was a bit of a thrill to see one standing off the side of the road. My brother-in-law slowed down the car to a full stop. The kangaroo, probably sensing that we were stopping to let him cross the road (maybe they’ve learned to stop, look, and listen before crossing the street?), hopped on to the otherside. It was the perfect shot: the asphalt running a straight line, and the kangaroo with its perfect jumping form. And me on the front passenger seat holding a camera with a dead battery. To make it worse, there was a second kangaroo who crossed the road after the first, ensuring that you get a decent picture. Bah!

Finally, we rolled into Horsham. We booked another cabin in a caravan park that I found online, but does not have a website. The caravan park was definitely much…rugged as our previous accomodation. Then again, there was a huge price discrepancy as well. Nevertheless, after a long day on the road, it was a welcome respite.

Only one day left in this series, and one day left until the travel journal contest ends! Have you sent in your entry yet?