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!

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.

We started out late, leaving Melbourne at 6 o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday. Ballarat is a little over 100 kilometers from Melbourne, and driving there takes about an hour and a half via the Western Highway. Though it was a Sunday, there were plenty of people on the road. Probably families headed for their country homes or students enjoying their holidays (and their new licenses).

I’ve always loved driving (or in my case, riding) around Melbourne and the outlying countryside because of the great condition of the roads, and the seemingly lack of traffic. Australia is almost the same size as mainland USA, but unlike the United States, the population of the entire country is only at 21 million (Metro Manila has about 11 million residents). This means less people in the streets, less people on the roads, just less people, period. When I first came here, I told my sister I’d love to drive in Australia, since the roads are pretty empty. She was quick to refute my argument, saying that it’s much more dangerous here. Emptier roads meant people tend to drive faster. The higher the speed, the higher the chances of a car crash, which in Manila would just mean bumping the car in front of you. I realized what she meant, when I saw a car grazing the rear bumper of another on the road to Ballarat, during the first trip we made there last February.

We were driving along the side road, looking for a fish and chips shop to buy our picnic lunch. As we wait at the intersection for a break in the traffic to go back into the main road, one car going over 100km/h grazed the left rear end bumper of another car going over 90km/h. The first car only swerved a bit, but the second car tipped to the side. Luckily for the driver, the car didn’t topple over and soon righted itself. The driver only got some minor bruises and possibly some broken bones.

Now on our second trip to Ballarat, there was another accident along the freeway. We didn’t actually see it, but it was a bit unnerving to hear about it, seeing as we passed the same stretch of road just minutes before. According to the reports, four teens were inside the car that careened of the highway, hitting a tree by the side of the road. The car burst into flames upon impact. Police and witnesses says that the car must have been travelling at 160km/h.

Road accidents aside, it was great to drive back into Ballarat. I greatly enjoyed the time whe spent there last February, albiet a short one. There were no concrete plans for this Ballarat trip, just a stop at the local Rivers branch, where we went shop crazy and bought a trunkload of shoes (well, just half, really) during our last trip. Another highlight was to check whether Lake Wendouree has dried up again (it was completely dry last February and almost full at the end of July).

After a drive around the city, we emerged from one side street, right across our home for the next two days, Lake Wendouree Tourist Park.

Coming up next: our day in Ballarat, review of Lake Wendouree Tourist Park, and driving off to our next destination.

Do you love the gentle scratching of a pencil on paper or the smooth glide of a ballpoint? Share your most unforgettable travel experience, and get a chance to win a Lonely Planet travel journal.

There are three or so companies offering balloon rides over Melbourne and the surrounding countryside in Victoria. My brother-in-law picked Global Ballooning. The starting and ending point of the balloon ride was at the Hilton Hotel (Hilton on the Park). We met up at the foyer around 4:30 in the morning. Passengers were asked to fill in a form and sign a waiver. Afterwards, we were broken into groups, and assigned to a pilot. We boarded an SUV, towing the basket, balloon and propane tanks.

We drove to a field 15-minutes away from the Hilton. We were told that the take off and landing fields change every flight, as it is dependent on the direction of the wind. As stated in their website, hot-air ballooning is a hands-on activity. Passengers are asked to help with setting up the balloons for flight and packing it up afterwards.

There were six balloons in the field that morning, three of which are from Global Balloons. It was amazing to watch as the balloons inflate, and eventually lift off the ground. Nick, our pilot, said that ballooning is all about the landing. Landing requires concentration and precision in managing the hot and cold air to get the balloon to land in the target landing field. Taking off, on the other hand, was so gentle, we hardly noticed that we were already off the ground.

Once you get over the initial excitement of being several hundred feet above the ground (and several hundred pictures), you find yourself just taking it all in: the view, the experience and just drifting wherever the wind takes you. Unless you have a terrible fear of height (why go on a hot-air balloon ride if you’re scared of heights?), ballooning is quite relaxing when you’re up in the air.

We flew high and we flew low. On the highest ascent, we reached about 4,000 feet (I would guess what’s when my ears started hurting a bit). We dropped altitude a couple of times, low enough to shout greetings to people on the ground, and hear their response.

After one-hour, we were instructed to go into our landing position. The landing position kept us balanced, preventing us from toppling all over the basket. The basket absorbed most of the impact, but you still feel it as the basket touches the ground. Once we have scrambled out of the basket, we were given new directions on how we can help pack up the balloon. First, the basket was lifted unto the trailer while there was still enough hot air inside. Then the pilot opens a flap to release all the air inside, deflating the balloon. We take up position along the lenght of the balloon, squeezing out the air and folding it in. Once the air is all out, we line up again, carrying the balloon and stuffing it back to its bag. Once everything was packed up, we head back to the Hilton for breakfast and champagne.

The balloon ride costs AU$350 for adults and AU$245 for children ages 6-12 years. It includes the ride and the champagne breakfast. It’s pricey, yes, but it well worth it.

More pictures after the jump, or if you can’t get enough, head on to my flickr.

WordCamp is a gathering of WordPress users talking about (you guessed it) WordPress and blogging. Among the speakers were Alex Shiels of Automattic (who quite succinctly told us how big WordPress is), James Farmer of Edublogs (who organized WCM07 and quite a jolly person), Darren Rowse of Problogger.net (how can this be a blogging event without Mr. Rowse? He’s a very nice, down to earth guy, by the way, and he even granted my odd request of posing with my Pinky St doll), Christine Davis of Neato.co.nz (developer of the Ultimate Tag Warrior, which I’m currently using), and Alister Cameron, the self-proclaimed blogologist (who was wearing a TinTin in Vietnam t-shirt, which had me racking my brains whether TinTin ever went to Vietnam).

Darren Rowse mentioned in passing that Melbourne bloggers have been talking about having one of these gatherings for a long time, and this is the first time it has pushed through. Also, when I asked him if he gives talks on blogging a lot, he said he gets invited to talk overseas, but hardly in Australia.

Apart from the talks given by the speakers, there were also round table discussions, where in participants get to talk among themselves regarding a topics pertaining to WordPress or blogging. Topics like choosing a blogging platform, selling plugins, online reputation management, themes, and blogging as new media. I joined the plugins table, reputation management and new media.

The online reputation management discussion was facilitated by Gerry McCusker, a Public Relations Analyst. We discussed how organizations can optimize blogs for better public relations. I found myself drifting off at certain points, thinking of how certain individuals can hurt their reputation through online self-publishing.

When the time came for the last round table, I eagerly headed to the table set for the new media discussion. Disappointingly, there were only three of us there. Hmmm, as I told Gerry, who was also at the table, this table would’ve been full had it been in Manila.

Overall, it was a great, enlightening event. I was able to see the “blog culture” in Melbourne, and how people are utilizing it. It was great to meet people with such passion for blogging. Oh, and Lucio, too bad you left early…you could’ve won a WordPress shirt

Pictures from WordCamp Melbourne

Darren Rowse talking about how to make money by blogging

Alister Cameron telling us about all the fun to be had with Sandbox

James Farmer sharing his trick for increasing your multi-user blog from 1 to 1,000

Christine Davis differentiating between tags and categories

The panel of speakers with Alex Shiels answering question from the audience

Apart from clothes for men, women and children, Savers also sell accessories like bags, scarves and shoes. There are household items like cups and saucers, plates and serving dishes, couches and chairs, even draperies for your windows. Inside the bins at the cashier’s booth are DVDs and videos in VHS. There’s also a number of music CDs available for sale, starting at 0.99 cents each.

My favorite section at Savers though, is the corner where all the books are. I’ve bought more than a couple of books from Savers, priced usually at $2.99 or $3.99 each. Today was no exception. Amongst a stack of coffee table books, I see one Loney Planet title:

Time and Tide by Peter Bennetts and Tony Wheeler, like new.

Inside are a beautiful collection of pictures, and quite possibly, a nice collection of words as well (I’ve yet to start reading it). On the title page though, I find this:

The best bit? The price.

Oh yes, only $2.99.

It’s still technically spring here in Melbourne, but summer is starting to make its presence felt. Last week, these figures were certainly different. I think the highest maximum forecast for the week was 26C. And now, we’re looking to have a 30C weekend.

Odd that a person used to living in constant 30C+ weather is complaining about a mere 30C, eh? Dang it, I am beginning go get used to the cold! Bring the cold weather back!

I suppose I would regret it later on, but Melbourne’s weather shifts so often. It could be sweltering hot one moment, then dropping after 10 minutes. The air can feel so warm, but a sudden gust of wind from the Antarctic can leave you shivering.

Now I’m getting why they say Melbourne have 4 seasons in one day.

While the whole of Melbourne was looking forward to the Melbourne cup last November 6, I was looking forward to the day after: the day I watch Priscilla on stage.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert Musical was in everyway the opposite of Avenue Q, a Broadway musical I saw before I left Manila. Where Avenue Q has a very simple set and a handful of cast, Priscilla was a grand affair. The stage was filled with lights, with towering speakers on the sides. An orchestra plays at the foot of the stage, and while there were only 3 major characters, there are several minor characters and a dozen or so extras.

Avenue Q in Manila and Priscilla in Melbourne is the same in one aspect though: they’re both great. The songs, the choreography, the acting… all superb!

Priscilla is the story of three gender illusionists, Tick (Mitzi), Bernadette and Adam (Felicia), who drove from Sydney to Alice Springs to perform. Tick went on this journey to meet his son for the first time, Bernadette to get over the death of her partner (asphyxiated on peroxide), and Adam went because… well, it was his dream to be a cock in a frock on a rock XD

Here’s what you can expect to see on stage when you watch Priscilla the musical:

If you’re in Melbourne, why not watch Priscilla on stage? The musical will run until Janaury 27, 2008 at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre.

Okay, so it’s big. It’s not as humongous as I thought it would be. Or maybe it would be more impressive if I was closer to it I don’t think there wouldn’t be any problems with the A380 landing in Manila. Vince (haha, feeling close), pointed out that bigger planes have already landed in NAIA before.

The MSN009 test aircraft will be in Melbourne until it leaves tomorrow at around 8:00 am, bound for Manila. Melbourne Airport’s observation deck at Terminal 2 will be open to the public on Wednesday, October 10 (9 am – 8:30 pm) and Thursday, October 11 (7 am – 10 am).

Now that I’ve seen the A380, my next target is the Beluga. Haha, wishful thinking.

The first flight out of Melbourne on November 23 is flight TT 7402 Melbourne – Gold Coast at 7:00 am. Other scheduled flights for the day are two other flights to Queensland from Melbourne: Rockhampton & Mackay.

Other Australian domestic destinations include Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Launceston in Tasmania, and Perth in Western Australia. Gee, I wonder why they aren’t flying into Sydney.

How much would flying via Tiger Airways to Australia cost?

I tried a test booking departing Singapore on November 30, and flying back from Melbourne on December 18. Both flights are via Darwin. On the flight out of Singapore, the fare I got was SG$239.99 plus SG$140.30 tax. The flight back to Singapore is SG$199.99, and taxes are SG$185.81. My total fare is SG$766.09. That’s about Php23,046.38 (based on xe.com’s exchange for July 28, 2007). Not bad, eh?

So say you’re flying to Singapore via Tiger Airways or Cebu Pacific, that’s another Php8,000+, bringing your grand total to Php31,046.38. That’s four different flight segments, totaling to approximately 12 hours one way.

On the other hand, you can take PAL, pay the same amount for an 8-hour flight.

Australian domestic flights are terribly cheap though. Return tickets for Melbourne-Gold Cost can be as cheap as AU$99 (Php3,800) inclusive of taxes. That’s a far cry from the AU$342.00 I paid for the same flight I took last March.

Melbourne-Perth-Melbourne is also terribly cheap: AU$269.90 (Php10,200). The same flight costs AU$378 via Jetstar and AU$458 via Virgin Blue. The biggest difference though is that Tiger Airways’ Melbourne-Perth route is a red-eye flight. But still, not bad, eh?

The Expo is the fun and festive way to find out where to go for the time of your life -around Australia and overseas, the best, friendliest places to stay, what to do, how to get there and how to get jobs.

Whether you enjoy adrenaline-charged super activities or quietly experiencing the indigenous cultures of remote tribes, night-life festivities or the art galleries of the world, don’t miss your annual opportunity to cut through the information overload and get personal answers to your interests from nearly 200 exhibitors.

The expo will be on February 23 – 25, 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is $5.00.

There are plenty of free activities around the city, from watching a trapeze company performing in the street to watching a concert at the Federation square. To help you get around, there’s the free City Cirle Tram and the free Tourist Shuttle bus, which takes you to (or within walking distance to) all of the major tourists attractions in the city.

Admission to tourist attractions have fairly reasonable prices. Travelling with kids in Melbourne need not be expensive either. Ticket prices for kids are lower, sometimes they can even go in for free! Children under 4 years of age can also ride for free on the city train, trams and busses.

The best time to watch a movie in Melbourne is on a Monday or Tuesday. During these days, cinemas have special discounted rates, almost 50% off the regular rate. Cinema Nova on Lygon Street, offers a whopping $5.50 per ticket, for all films showing before 4pm every Monday. You can also check out films at the [tag]Australia[/tag]n Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), with tickets going between $5 and $10.

There are plenty of factory outlets and warehouses in Melbourne and surrouding suburbs, if you feel like splurging on a budget. The easiest to get to is the Direct Factory Outlet, which is located (and connected) right next to the Southern Cross/Spencer Street station. Brands like Nine West, Giordano and Grab Jeans have stores there. From there, you can take a tram (109, Box Hill) near the corner of Spencer and Collins street and head on to Ikea, located inside the
Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre. If you’re a bookworm like me, there are literally hundreds of second hand and discount bookstores around the city. You just have to find one that offers the best price for your budget.

As for eating out in Melbourne… well, that warrants its own entry. Melbourne is culturally diverse that you can be sure you’d be eating authentic cuisine of your choice whereever you go.

If you ever find yourself in Melbourne wondering what to do, just refer to the brochures you picked up at the airport, or head on to the Tourist information center in the CBD (the biggest one is at Federation Square, just across Flinders street). The tourism agent would point you to the best places to go given the current weather condition, what you feel like doing and who you’d be doing it with.

December 31st here in Melbourne is certainly different from New Year’s Eve in Manila. For one thing, I can’t smell any smoke from firecrackers set off by the neighbor’s. It’s really quiet here. Too quiet.

There were some fireworks earlier, I reckon. I can hear them faintly, must be coming from the city. Of course, when I was putting the kids to sleep, I thought it was the sound of small feet running in the halls. But how can that be when the kids are on either side of me on the bed? That’s right Nina, scare yourself on your first night home alone in a new house.

My brother-in-law actually asked me a couple of days ago if I wanted to go out for NYE. Automatically, I said no because I honestly can’t remember a time when I ushered in the New Year outside our house, be it in Makati or in Quezon City. I suppose all the years watching the news showing firecracker injuries really made an impact on me. Not to mention the karma (nyuknyuknyuk. Sorry, inside joke).

Then again, I’m not really one for going out to socialize. You can only make me go to a bar or club or whatever when I’m with my friends. I can go out to eat at a restaurant alone, but to go to a place that people flock to to socialize? Uh, no thanks.

Anyway, 2006 has been a really great year for travel. I started the year in high spirits, woke up the next day with a terrible cold, recovered after a week and resolved to travel more this year. I set my goal to travel to two domestic destinations and two international destinations, and I was able to meet my target.

March 11 – 13 Cebu, Philippines
May 17 – 27 Bangkok, Ko Samui & Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand
May 27 – June 3 Singapore, Singapore
October 8 – 11 Tabilaran & Panglao in Bohol and Cebu City, Philippines
December 12 – Bacolod & Silay, Negros Occidental, Philippines
December 26 – Singapore
December 27 – Present Melbourne, Australia

Yup, it’s been a pretty good year for travel.

New goal for 2007: pay off debts from travelling to be able to travel even further in 2008! I kid, of course there’s going to be a couple of trips for me next year, but mostly to domestic destinations.

Here’s to a great year, and for another awesome year ahead!