 |
| Better grab this one! With free discount coupons |
The Sydney Airport seemed to be jam-packed on that early Saturday morning of my arrival. There were just so many people that even if our flight was earlier than expected, the long lines in the immigration counters still managed to cause delay. Along the way, I spotted a Sydney travel guide, which I immediately took hold of. It was definitely useful as it even had coupons entitling you to discounts on Sydney's famous tourist spots. So if you see them on your own travel, better grab one. On a side note, I spotted two local celebrities - Ogie Alcacid and Regine Velasquez who were apparently on the same flight as I was. They were travelling with their child and with no helper/bodyguard along since Ogie was the one retrieving their luggage. I tried to snap a picture or two, but it was too blurry to keep.
Anyway, when I got out of the last checkpoint, this was the sight that greeted me:
 |
| Friends and relatives waiting for their loved ones. |
I felt as if I was in the market as people seemed to be literally everywhere. I also observed that in Sydney airport, people are allowed to go inside to welcome those who are arriving. For a moment there, I was overwhelmed by all the people. Sounds of joyous reunion could be heard from every corner including a burst of laughter every now and then, and an occasional sight of happy tears. As for others, you can see them stretching their necks, eagerly anticipating to catch a sight of their loved ones.
Since the roaming signal of globe had [gasps! what a surprise!... not!!!] not yet activated, I had to find a way of communicating with my aunt since it would seem impossible to find each other amid all the crowd. Fortunately, there was free wifi at the airport, so I was able to connect to skype, which in turn directly forwards unanswered calls to my aunt's mobile number. In a few minutes, I was finally reunited with Tita A and we headed to Tito Bru's car.
Sydney was ahead by three hours from Philippine time so I was still a bit sleepy and lethargic. What else would be a better cure, but to eat a good breakfast to fuel some energy in my body. We headed to
Brighton-Le-Sands which was just a few minutes away from the airport. At around 9:30 AM, Sydney time, I was ready to fill in my hungry stomach with mouth-watering food from one of the restaurants situated there.
 |
| A cloudy day at Brighton-Le-Sands |
 |
| Crepe with bananas, caramel, vanilla ice cream and strawberry |
 |
| Absolutely delicious! |
 |
| Enough to energize |
 |
| No breakfast is complete without a good hot chocolate |
 |
| With an all smiles Tita A :) |
The food ranged from AUD8-15, definitely way more expensive than any country I've been to recently. But they do have big servings and each bite can certainly fill you up. After a bit of catching-up, we went to the near-by shore and had a relaxing walk on the sand. There were just a few people out on the beach and it was very tranquil. The feel of the sand between our toes seemed to be some form of therapy by itself. Tita A said that they sometimes go there to watch the planes land into the airport, as it gives you a perfect view. But I think what caught my attention the most were the seagulls, seeming to say "Mine mine mine," repeatedly just like in the movie, "Finding Nemo". I even tried to chase them while they appear to have some meeting in progress.
 |
| A wide stretch of sea shore, with sand so soft, optimal for walking |
 |
| Getting my feet wet |
 |
| Sea gulls saying "Mine mine mine" |
After soaking up the view,we then headed to what I would be calling home for the next three weeks of my stay in Sydney.
I immediately felt very welcome upon arriving at Tita A and Tito Bru's house. Tita A led me to the room where I would be staying and found a sweet surprise waiting for me.
 |
| Feels just like staying in a hotel |
They also have a dog, named Nibbles, who was trained very well. I had no trouble bonding with him over my stay despite my usual fear of dogs. I actually found him to be very sweet and would even end up curling at my side whenever I would be watching a movie. He's not overly hyper [which is what I liked the most about him] and he doesn't make any mess inside the house.
 |
| Meet Nibbles |
After settling down and getting a tour of their house, Tita A began preparing some food as it was apparently eating time again. We had freshly squeezed orange juice, mangoes, cherries, grapes, biscuits, meat loaf, and some sweet Lindt chocolates.
 |
| I can definitely foresee the calories I'll be gaining |
We then got some rest and afterwards, headed to Westfield shopping center to do a bit of grocery shopping. The shopping center was just a few minutes away from their house but as I've come to learn, it closes as early as 5 PM, similar to other stores. But at least, their grocery stores offer such a wide range or products that it can make choosing difficult especially if you're not very familiar with the brands.
 |
| They even have Palmolive for dishwashing |
 |
| Poor teddy, left behind or just thirsty? |
Once shopping was done, we went back and yes, time for another meal again. For dinner, we just had some good barbecue and potato salad. After unpacking my stuff, I was ready to hit the bed and go off to dreamland. It was such a great first day for me and it had me looking forward to the next coming days.
Watch out for my Day 2 Australian advenutre....
No comments:
Post a Comment