BootsnAll Travel Network



December 30th, 2005

I’ve decided to take Sarah to Brisbane and the Gold Coast for a holiday. She hasn’t been away in awhile and she will be 5 by the time we go so it will be a fun holiday. She loves Brisbane as do I and she’ll enjoy all of the theme parks.

By the way, it is completely coincidental that Indy 2006 will be on at the same time we are there – NOT!!!
Indy Website
Since I was going to take her anyway I may as well take her when Indy is on!!

Can’t wait. I’ve already booked flights going down with Jetstar at $79 each and am yet to buy them coming back – more worried about getting down there!! We got a fantastic deal with the Hilton so we’ll be staying there for the duration of the trip – complete luxury – and commute to the Coast for Indy which really isn’t far!!

Jetstar
Brisbane Hilton

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It has arrived!

December 29th, 2005

Finally.. My tickets to the Grand Prix have finally arrived!! They’ll let me in the gates now.

I’ve been waiting for these tickets since I booked them in October. Now it all seems real. Accommodation and flights have been booked now all I have to do is leave!!

I can’t wait. I’ve never been to Melbourne before so it will be a new city. Unfortunately I fly down a couple of days after the Commonwealth Games finish. I thought about flying down earlier but the prices for flights were unbelievable, so maybe next time.

I have a grandstand seat for the grand prix. The Fangio Grandstand which is directly opposite pit lane and the start finish line. I think my seat is about where the 3rd and 4th cars line up. It is going to be awesome.

I’ve also booked a day tour along The Great Ocean Road to see the 12 Apostles which will also be fantastic. I want to see them before they all erode into the sea.

Official Australian Grand Prix site
My Ticket
They’ll let me in the gates!!

Pit Straight Walk

Access to Pit Straight!!

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A Day to be an Explorer… in the jungle

January 6th, 2005

Today I did the tourist thing. I can’t help it, but I love doing the big tourist traps! That’s half the point of being here!!

I bought another all day card on the monorail. I started at Darling Harbour. I visited the information centre mainly to get some brochures to take home. But my first stop of the day was the Chinese Friendship Gardens. They are gorgeous. So well looked after. After a while you forget you are in downtown Sydney until you look up and see this skyscraper. Even amongst the traffic and noise it is quite serene in the gardens. There’s a traditional tea house (bit pricey for my liking so I passed), beautiful houses and monuments, waterfalls as well as banners with exquisite writing. On the way out I went through the gift shop and bought mum a calligraphy set for about $20.

Next stop was further into Darling Harbour. Down to the waters edge. Passed the unusal water feature (it’s a spiral that goes down – you can actually walk on it without getting wet. Last time I was here I walked in it but not this time!). There is also a monument with the symbol for the Olympic Games held here in 2000.

AFter Darling Harbour I headed to Circular Quay via boat (an all day ticket on the bus/train/ferry costs me $2.50 as a pensioner). Circular Quay is the ferry hub. It is also the stopping point for the Opera House, The Harbour Bridge and The Rocks. I started with the markets at The Rocks. They were not as good as I remembered. They seem to have gotten more up market and more expensive (I’ll save money and head to Paddingting markets instead). Next was a visit to the Opera House which is exactly the same as always. It was crowded with tourists so I didn’t stay long.

I made my way through circular quay and the rocks and found the Pylon Lookout Climb. This is a much cheaper version of climbing the Harbour Bridge. Instead of climbing the bridge you climb one of the pylons at the end (indoor stairs as opposed to open bridge!). It was a pretty easy climb and the view at the top was spectacular. Beautiful views of Sydney. You can watch the people climbing the bridge (and I will admit that next time, with more money, I’ll climb the bridge).

After all the excitement of the climb I took a more peaceful stroll through Hyde Park. I took some photos of the fountain for Sarah, she’ll love the turtles. I then headed to the Hyde Park Barracks for a look around.

Alas it was time to head back to the hostel as it was time to get ready to go out.

“In the Jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight”

I was off to see The Lion King musical. I had managed to get front row tickets.
The Capitol theater is so old fashioned. We have nothing like it in Townsville. They even served ice cream in little containers in the theatre. I got one just to say that I had.

The show started with loud music and this big elephant walking down the aisles and onto the stage. The whole musical was spectacular. I was mezmorized for the whole thing. I so wish that I could go and see it again.

I grabbed a late tea (frozen spaghetti to heat in the microwave) and headed to bed. Tomorrow I’m heading to Luna Park with Jeffery and Roxy

The Lion King

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Blue Mountains

January 5th, 2005

What an eventful night in our dormroom! There is this guy in my room – Giz (after Gizmo in the Gremlins). Anyway the guy on the bunk on top of him got really drunk and wet the bed so much that it dripped through onto Giz. Boy was he not impressed (but then who would!). He woke the guy up and had a go at him and got dressed and left. Since I was planning on getting up soon to catch an early train to the Blue Mountains i got up, dressed and had some breaky. I remembered to take a jumper (although it was semi warm in sydney, the mountains are cooler). As i left for the station i passed Giz who apologized for waking everyone up – which was alright and understandable. I walked to central station (about 5-10 min walk) and caught the train to the Blue Mountains. It was about an hour trip so i settled back and watched the scenery.

When we arrived I headed to the tourist centre at the entrance to the station and booked myself onto the hop on/off tour for $30. It was great. They travel to all sights and you can hop on/off as much as you like. My first stop was the Tallawarra walk which walks alongside the mountains. It was breathtaking. At the other end I caught the bus to The Three Sisters. The highlight of the tour. They were so amazing. The view is unbeliveable. I took some great photos. Then I headed to scenic world which is home to the steepest train (it is virtually vertical) as well as a cable car ascent and a cable car tour over the gorge. It had to be the best part. Hanging over the gorge in a glass compartment looking at this big expansive view. and I don’t like heights.

After that I headed back to the train station to catch the last train back into the city. we got in about 5pm. I cheated and had McDonalds for tea as I was too tired to cook (hey I’m on holidays!!). I’m about to head to bed. I think tomorrow I might go down to Darling Harbour and Circular Quay.
Me and three sisters
Me in front of The Three Sisters

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Lord of The Rings

January 4th, 2005

Well I’ve got to say it. The Lord of the Rings exhibition rocked!! East your heart out Justin. This is exhibit is why i timed my holiday for this time.

I got up and made my self some breakfast (just cornflakes) and headed off for the morning session which started at 9. I bought and all day pass on the monorail (for me as a pensioner about $5) and rode til I got to exhibition station where i got off and walked across the walkway to the powerhouse museum.

I’m glad i head out early, there was already a line up to get in (lucky for me I had already purchased my ticket so I could join the slightly shorter line!). They let us in at exactly 9. They had the real costumes that the actors wore (in glass cases of course) as well as the props and hair pieces. They should in depth stories of all the characters and the actors who portrayed them (yes I spent the longest at Aragorn and Legolas!). They also had videos of special effects. You could hop behind a screen and see yourself hobbit size. The had even brought in some of the sets. It was just so awesome. I just so wish that photography had been allowed!! I got some photos of the exhibition posters though. To leave the exhibition you had to pass throught the gift shop. The things that they had. They had an authentic hobbit cloak made by the same people and of the same material as the actors one. It would have looked awesome in my house but not at around $300.. I settled on getting these gorgeous charms. One is a mini gold ‘one ring’ and the other a mini hobbit leaf like they wear on the cloaks!.

I had a look around the rest of the powerhouse and finally found out where this exhibition was. I can remember seeing it at one point when I was younger but couldn’t remember where it was – now I know!!.

After leaving the powerhouse i headed back to the monorail and headed to the Pitt St mall to grab some lunch. I had a look around the mall and called home. I headed back to the backpackers to have a rest. I went for another walk around the neighbourhood and picked up some pasta for tea. I’m about to head up and cook dinner and get some sleep. Heading off to the Blue Mountains tomorrow.

Lord of the Rings

Exhibition

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Departure and Arrival

January 3rd, 2005

Today is the day that I finally returned to Sydney. I haven’t been here in 10 years. Last time was as a 15 year old in 1995. That time I was staying with a friend and her family and really didn’t have much freedom. This time I’m 25 and staying at a backpackers with all the freedom in the world.

I left Townsville at 6.00am this morning and arrived in Brisbane about 7.30 am where I headed straight for my favourite brisbane airport restaurant (been in this airport a few times in the past!!) to dig into their hot breakfast. You can get hot sausages, eggs, bacon – you name it for such reasonable prices. I eat here every time I pass through the airport.

I then left Brisbane airport and arrived in Sydney. I was met at the airport by my friend Jeffery, another person I haven’t seen in 10 years. I was so excited to see him. I’d been thinking about this reunion and it didn’t disappoint! He and his girlfriend Roxy drove me to my backpacker hostel – The Maze, which is located in central Pitt St.

I chose this location because of its centrality to the CBD.

I checked in and took my bag to my room and then headed off with Jeffery and Roxy. We dropped Roxy at work and stayed there for something to eat and then headed off to shopping centre for a look around and some catching up.

Jeffery dropped me off at the hostel where I went for a wander to see what was near by. Found McDonalds and Hungry Jacks. I grabbed some dinner (couldn’t be bothered cooking tonight) and then found this internet cafe (conviently located right next door). Now I’m going back up to my room to catch up on some sleep and call home.

Lord of the Rings exhibition tomorrow!!!

. www.mazebackpackers.com

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