10 days in Melbourne: Itinerary – Day 1, 18th Feb 2011 #BeckyinOzzie

I’m flying to Melbourne today (SIA flight at 945pm tonight) and I’m thrilled beyond words (or any other form of expression for that matter!). This is going to be my first time EVER stepping on Australia’s soil. I can’t thank Tourism Australia & Tourism Victoria enough for this opportunity. 😉

This is Day 1 of my 10 days non-stop, packed, and fully pre-planned itinerary for the SOUTH EAST TOURING TRIANGLE, covering Melbourne CBD, Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges, Phillip Island & Mornington Peninsular.

I will be updating my blog with short & concise posts with some pictures (hopefully on a nightly basis); as Internet connection is provided in the hotel. So do visit my blog & leave me a comment or two! Any recommendations, feedback or query is welcomed! Seriously!  😉

FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY

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Arrive
Onboard flight SQ5329. To meet Tourism Victoria guide Reiner Aderhold and transfer to accommodation.

Check in
To the Causeway 353
Melbourne’s newest 4 star boutique hotel located in the heart of the CBD. The Causeway 353 Hotels offers you modern hotel facilities, comfortable and fashionable rooms with LCD TV’s, King Size Beds and large bathrooms.

353 Little Collins St
Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9668 1888

Visit
Federation Square
Federation Square is a complete inner city block, the first ever to physically connect the central business district with the Yarra River in Melbourne. Situated at the heart of central Melbourne, Federation Square is a fusion of arts and events, leisure, hospitality and promenading.

Federation Square
Corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9639 2800
Fax: (03) 9663 3652
www.federationsquare.com.au

Visit
Chinatown
(Lt Bourke St, & the laneways bordered by Spring, Lonsdale & Swanston Streets).
Visit the Chinese Dragon at the Chinese Museum and learn about the early gold mining days in Victoria. Take part in a Feng Shui tour or enjoy Yum Cha on Sunday. Eye-catching architecture, numerous restaurants, Chinese lanterns and wind chimes in Little Bourke Street make Chinatown an indulgence of the senses.
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Bintulu Day 1: Evacuating the plane, getting lost, throwing up – all in my “experiencing Bintulu weekend”!

Reminiscing Bintulu…

(this was a while back 😉 )

As you may know, it was my virginal trip to Sarawak just a few weeks ago for the Bintulu Tune Hotels launch. Accomodation & itinerary was all taken care of by Tune Hotels and the local travel agent.

The trip itself was exciting enough, since it’s my first time to Sarawak & Bintulu. A planned itinerary which includes a belacan (shrimp paste) making factory tour & Similajau jungle trek seems my cup of tea.

But the real drama started as soon as we boarded our plane. All rev-ed up for take-off, we were all suddenly told to evacuate the plane as one of the engines were facing problems!

Darn, we had to evacuate the plane and ended up stuck in LCCT boarding gate for the next 2 hours. When the plane finally took off, I was famished and darn glad to be served Pak Nasser’s Nasi Lemak on board Air Asia.
The Nasi Lemak  itself came in a pretty good portion and tastewise; well, can’t complain for airline food.

bintulu jan2011 Tune Hotel trip

We landed at Bintulu airport an hour later.

bintulu jan2011 Tune Hotel trip-1
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EXPERIENCE ULTIMATE ROMANCE THIS VALENTINE’S DAY AT YTL HOTELS

Blame it on the recent island holiday ; I’m now addicted to islands get-aways & resorts holidays.

I used to be pretty much a city-hopper; with tops choices including Bangkok, Singapore, Korea & Hong Kong. This year, I’m eyeing Terengganu instead; since I’ve not been to the East Coast before; and perhaps Lang Tengah (as recommended by a friend) or perhaps another Sabah island?

Surfing around, a friend from YTL recommended their spa holidays and sent me some of their recent promos. Unfortunately it’s Valentine – themed, but heck, I thought I’ll just share it since it’s a pretty good deal.
I won’t be taking these packages as I’m flying to Melbourne this coming 17th Feb (wheeee! ) but I’m aiming for April for East Malaysia, since I was told that that’s the best season.

Tanjong Jara is high on my list.

Tenggol Island

So beautiful isn’t it? I’m definitely coming here soon. I’ve not heard a single negative remark so far about Tanjong Jara. Everybody’s been telling me about how gorgeous this place is!

Anjung Room Interior
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Pulau Tiga Island, Sabah – the journey, the resort, the wilderness, the sea

Pulau Tiga’s meteoric rise to fame is credited solely to none other than being the first ever ‘secret’ location for the hit reality series, ‘Survivor’. And hence, the popular monicker of “Survivor Island” has stuck on ever since.

pulau tiga sabah-1

I was thrilled to be here, one of reasons being that it would be my first ever island holiday in the pristine waters of Sabah; another was just in awe that I am on the very island where the reality series was shot.

The beginning: THE JOURNEY.

Getting there meant starting with a 2 hours road ride from KK town, Sabah to Kuala Penyu.
As demonstrated by my fellow travellers Fei & Brad, do take a nap so you are rejuvenated by the time your feet meets the sands of Pulau Tiga. 😉

fei and brad
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Pulau Tiga Resort, Sabah – my mud bath at the mud volcanoes!

Hello all!

I’m back from my “island” holiday! And would you believe it, this is my first ever island adventure in my 30 years of existence! 😉

I got Firefly Airlines to thank for this fabulous fam trip. There were so much planned out for all of us, and I’ve got a lot to share so expect a lot of posts about Sabah as I go along.
Anyhow, I’m starting the wackybecky Sabah Chronicles with this “muddy” post, simply cos I’ve got some epic pictures that I think you guys will like!

Such as this one:

mud volcano - pulau tiga sabah-17

Haha, that was us heading back to our resort BAREFOOTED after our mud bath at the Mud Volcanoes on Pulau Tiga.
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Food Place at Jubilee Recreation Ground, Kuching – for belacan beehoon & awesome desserts!

This small unassuming circular “food court” is just known as Jubilee Ground & it’s located near the school ground of SRK Chung Hwa No.3 School/DBKS office. Though small, it is a very popular place and is always packed; be it a rainy day or a hot day or weekdays or anyday!

Jubilee Recreation Ground, kuching

As you can see from the picture below, even the Malays dine here, although the stalls are all operated by the chinese. Could it be that the Malays here are more open-minded??

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The school right beside it.

Jubilee Recreation Ground, kuching-1

We were here specifically for the desserts, and the BELACAN beehoon.

Yup, these plates of the local pungent, murky culinary creation are elusive in the Peninsular and there is no way I’m leaving Sarawak without trying it!

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