Road trip in Australia

The mighty Getz - Misty Mountains, Australia.

Before I absolutely forget about the details of the trip, let me just jot something down about my Australia road trip. My sister and I decided to take a road trip after our family members left Brisbane. We decided to drive from Brisbane to Cairns on the popular coastal highway and then return from Cairns to Sydney on the innerland highways. A journey that was about 6000 kms (at least on the little Hyundai Getz above) and we did the trip in only about 2 weeks. So the pace was a little too rush for my liking. Still I had an incredible time, other than the times I had to look for a hot shower for my little sister.

We stopped by a lot of little towns that now seem rather difficult to recall. Of course some town names are easier than others, for example the town of 1770. Oh, I think we didn't stop there. But we did sleep at some lesser known towns like Cardwell. I remembered this town because when I came down from the car to pee during the middle of the night I saw a sign warning people of saltwater crocodiles by the beach. I had to quickly finish up my business and jump back into the car for safety. I didn't want some ugly crocodile chomping off my foot while I was peeing.

Our protocol for finding a place to sleep was that it had to be dark enough to sleep but still relatively safe. Also, we didn't mind having a toilet nearby. Showers would be most welcomed. So we ended up sleeping by tourist information centers, surf clubs parking lots, 24 hour petrol stations, mall parking lots, etc. Our food initially started out on the cheap side, IGA roasted chicken with stuffing - 8+ and enough for 2. However, we realise we were spending quite a bit on groceries because we often shopped when we were hungry. At times, I was quite sure that it would have been cheaper eating at a restaurant than buying food at the local Woolies (Woolworth). At least, we constantly had premium quality fruit juices and candies which once melted on the dashboard. Thanks again to - you should have guessed by now - my sister.

(to be continued...)

A Hard Life

A hard life - Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The poor are really poor in the slums of Cambodia. What you see over here is almost the complete room that this family have. It is their living room, bed, kitchen and all.

Tanah Merah

Where is Tanah Merah? - Brisbane, Australia. It seems interesting that not so far from Brisbane is Tanah Merah. Feels almost like Malaysia.

Lakes in Kashmir

Boats at Dal Lake - Kashmir, India. We were suppose to stay at a houseboat on Dal Lake but ended being moved to 'small' Dal Lake due to our ignorance. Small Dal Lake turned out to be a small overflow lake that seemed more like a drain than a lake. Now we know where Dal Lake is.

Sleeping confirmed.

Sleeping Lady - Sydney, Australia. I was hesitant to take her picture but my sister just clicked along.


Vagrant Lady - Somewhere, Australia. After too many days in the car, my sister was turning into a vagrant. Also, shows that she's sleeping through most of the journey.

Brisbane at Night

Brisbane at night - Brisbane, Australia.

Job Applications

I haven't been writing much lately because I have been stuck in places where internet connections were very difficult to come by and when they did come by I was busy doing something else. Anyway, I have been mildly depressed as I have come to a stage where I need to apply for jobs. In the time being, I have been surviving on temp jobs, begging, pestering friends for free meals and so forth. It is still rather scary having to hear the clacking of high heels as I walk out of the subway tunnels everyday on my way to the temp job at the business district. I'm not sure why that particular sound frigthens me but maybe I imagine the horde turning into mindless zombies with dead conscience doing what they hate doing everyday. Or maybe it is the collective mood of the Singapore morning blues. My mood fluctuates between being grateful that I have some money for the day and I wish I was somewhere else or doing something else. Yet, reality is we need to work. And most of the time, I am happy to be doing something after such a long hiatus from work. However, that doesn't mean I like the interviewing process and all the farce that is involve in it. Might have to bite my conscience and pretend that I am really smart or really capable or both. Guess, being interviewed and job applications are necessary evil we have to endure in life. Now, if only an interview comes...

Sunset at Halong

Sunset at Halong - Halong Bay, Vietnam. Halong Bay is a magnificent place. Many have said that if you have not seen Halong Bay, you have not seen Vietnam. Unfortunately, I stayed only one short night at Halong Bay.

Tibetan temples at Ladakh

Tibetan temple - Leh, India. One of the tibetan temples near Leh, Ladakh. I have heard it said that if you wish to see Tibetan temples, India might be a better place to see them than Tibet. I am not sure how true that statement is as I have not been to Tibet.

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne Library - Melbourne, Australia. My brother, sister and myself in front of the Melbourne Library.

It is no wonder why Melbourne has been named one of the most livable cities in the world. Melbourne is a beautiful city with activities and places that can cater to anyone. If you want a nice place for a cup of coffee, there are numerous cool coffee places. If you want beautiful scenery, the Great Ocean Road is not very far off. It has its share of beautiful parks and cool night spots as well as nice historical sites. Also the pace of life there is not as hectic as many Asian cities. I can imagine if you were to work there, you would still have some time for your leisure and to pursue your hobbies. Also, unlike places like Singapore, there are actually many places to drive to.

After we arrive at the Melbourne airport, one of our relatives, Tom, drove us to some wonderful Chinese restaurant for our morning tea - a dim sum session. Secretly, I was thinking about why I had to travel all the way to Australia to eat dim sum when there are numerous stores in Malaysia selling dim sum at a fraction of the price. However, dad, grandma and uncle were quite delighted at the food. Dad refuses to eat Western food unless he is forced to by circumstances. So throughout most of my stay in Australia, we ate Chinese or Asian style food when we dined with the family. Personally, I wanted to try something very Australian but couldn't seem to pinpoint what is a mainly Australian-styled food. Even in retrospect, I can't figure out what is the main Australian diet. My ignorance is probably due to the fact that I didn't get to eat any home-cooked Australian meals while I was there in Australia.

Cave Buddha

Cave Buddha - Vang Vieng, Lao. This sleeping buddha was found in the Pakham Caves. To see the Buddha, I had to travel 6km of dirt roads, walk and climb 20 minutes up a steep slope.

Falls Near Luang Prabang

Top, Falls at Luang Prabang - Luang Prabang, Lao. One of the waterfalls, I visited at Luang Prabang.

Mid, Fall Buddies. We hired a tuk-tuk for a day to visit the 2 waterfall. From left, Me, Cesar, Kate, Liz. Superb travelling buddies.

Bottom, Falls with many pools. I forgot the name of the falls but this fall was short but wide. It had many little pools for short dips and some pools that were quite large. Kate went back the next day so that she could have a swim when it was sunnier.

Australia, Family trip.

Family Portrait - Melbourne, Australia. A family picture taken at the airport in Melbourne.

Our family flew over to Melbourne to attend my sister's graduation. Of course, my dear sister would remind us till the day we die that we absolutely missed her graduation. We flew all the way there but missed her graduation. We were happily eating at the Victoria Market and lost track of time. When we arrived at the stadium where the graduation was held, it was all over. Of course there was also the drama of grandma getting lost in the stadium. Dad had to piggyback my uncle up a steep flight of stairs while both the sons were happily finding a parking spot. It was all very chaotic. Grandma was trying to ask for directions in Malay in Australia. Naturally, nobody understood what she said. We were fined $100 AUD for parking at a 'No Stopping' zone. The sign honestly looked like a 'No Money' sign to me.

Travelling with family is definitely a very different experience from travelling alone. I was more accustomed to going wherever I like but a lot more coordination is required. We have to consider the likings and capabilities of everyone. Also, we have to consider whether the journey is too long for grandma or whether the venue is wheel chair accessible, things that I have never had to consider.

Some days grandma was so cold she was shivering. Also, she said she couldn't breathe when she walks too fast. And this was summer in Melbourne. Summer! I thought it was going to be like Malaysia but seems like I was very wrong. I was totally unprepared for the weather as well. I came down the plane in shorts, t-shirt and sandals and the temperature in Melbourne was 13C. For some that is totally acceptable but am have been quite used to 32C all my life. Now, I need to go looking for a jacket in case the weather gets more chilly. The only jacket I had was left on a bus in Bangkok.

Ladakhi girl

Ladakhi Girl - Leh, India. We met this girl in the middle of the highway. As with many parts of the Himalayan region, walking is sometimes the only means of transport for many. She seems quite used to the walk and must have been walking for a long time.

Faces at Bayon

Faces at Bayon - Siem Reap, Cambodia. The beautiful faces at the Bayon intrigues and inspires.

Sunrise Over Angkor

Sunrise over Angkor - Siem Reap, Cambodia. The serenity of sunrise at Angkor Wat cannot be captured entirely in a picture but must be felt.

Temple Guardians

Temple Guardians - Bangkok, Thailand. Garudas line the wall of the famous Wat Phra Keow in Thailand.

Journey Down Under

The Van - Tamborine Mts, Australia. The Toyota Tarago was the family mobile for a brief 2 weeks.

Just as the Indochina trip ended, I embarked on another trip with my family to see my sister graduate in Melbourne. That was probably an excuse for all of us to go to Australia for a while. I was a little reluctant to go at first due to certain obvious reasons but decided to go anyway as all had been thoroughly planned by my dad. My thinking was that I have already squandered enough time journeying around Asia and Indochina and I haven't had any income for the last 6 months. Compelling reasons to stop wasting more of my life away. However, the thought - I might never get to go again with nearly all my family members - prevailed and I asked my dad to book the flight tickets. Little did I know, the flight ticket was just a minor expenditure and I would find out frighteningly fast how expensive things are in Australia compared to my part of the world - South East Asia. Guess money can be made back, but opportunities for adventure seldom come. And seeing that I would be using up a lot of money, I might as well make it big and extend my stay Down Under for 2 more weeks. My plan was to see a good part of the Australian east coast.

The Sleeping Pigs

Top, Sleeping Pig - Bangkok, Thailand. This is a picture I took of the murals at one of the temples.

Bottom, Sleeping Babi - Surfer's Paradise, Australia. My travelling companion and dear sister that cannot be awaken in the morning. Notice the similarity with the picture on top.

Guesthouses at Luang Prabang

After a few days in Vang Vieng, I took the bus to Luang Prabang, the tourist capital of Laos. The road up was windy like roads up to Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. Only this trip ended up lasting for 7 hours. Naturally, when I reached Luang Prabang, I was not in a happy mood to go around as I was suffering from some mild travel sickness. Trying to read in the bus probably wasn't the best thing to do. Also, I had trouble looking for a guesthouse as many of the guesthouses were full. The ones that weren't were those that costs $15 USD and up - not a price I was willing to pay. After 45 minutes of trotting down road with my big rucksack looking for a guesthouse, I was willing to settle for anything below $10 USD. Finally, I found an $8 USD room and I took the place despite not really liking the condition of the room nor the price.

I did not do my usual running around to all the temples because I seemed to be coming down with the flu. I had a slight sore throat, blocked nose and seemed to be tired. I pretty much loitered the day away and went for a steamed bath and massage. Nice. I rested for 2 days in Luang Prabang just hanging out with some very interesting friends that I met along the journey.