City Trip

I’ve realised that I rarely take the time to appreciate the city I live in. The fact is that Sydney has always just been ‘home’ to me, similar to that feeling when something becomes familiar so it loses a bit of its magical appearance. It’s a place where I’ve grown up, where I’ve gone to school and where my friends and family live. But just recently, it hit me, that despite having lived in Sydney my whole life, I haven’t even begun to explore all that this beautiful city has to offer. I have yet to travel to many of the beaches here, or eat at some of the smaller unknown cafes tucked into random corners of the city. But this year, I’m more determined to try new things and see a different side to Sydney. This definitely means that more food adventures and sight-seeing escapades will be on the agenda for 2016 haha. So in this post I will recap a little bit about one of my first in-depth explorations of Sydney.

Pyrmont Bay Park

Since I was young, I associated going to the city as a family adventure or a trip just for special occasions. But ever since uni started, going to the city has lost some of that special meaning, with shopping and lunch dates becoming the norm during uni days. That is until a city trip with the family to celebrate my mum’s and I’s belated birthday.

It was a Sunday, so my family and I started the day with mass at our usual cathedral before we proceeded towards Sydney’s CBD for a late lunch at Critinis. The pasta I had wasn’t particularly great, but my brother enjoyed his spaghetti and my parent’s definitely enjoyed their seafood platter. I’m not usually a fan of seafood, so any piece that I enjoy is actually a big compliment haha. And I have to say the scallops were quite delicious! They were served with vermicelli noodles that were dipped into a smoky-tasting sauce which was the perfect addition to the sweet taste of the scallops: 4/5 stars for that!

Seafood platter for 2

Scallop yummy!

#flatflay

Next my brother and I took a tour of the Australian National Maritime Museum and checked out some of the docked vessels that are open for display on the wharves of Darling Harbour. First we explored the Destroyer HMAS Vampire, which is one of Australia’s largest museum vessels and the “last of the nation’s big-gun warships”.

View from outside the Destroyer HMAS Vampire

View from a door on the Destroyer HMAS Vampire

Second we climbed into the Submarine HMAS Onslow. Seeing how small the living quarters were and how close everything was, it wasn’t hard to imagine how difficult it would have been to be one of the hundreds of men sharing a small space with everyone else in a hot tin can under the water. I would not have been able to survive, but seeing all the food tins and Captain’s quarters and engines and periscope on display certainly made me appreciate what they had to endure during World War 2. To make the experience more real, there are volunteers you can find in any part of the vessel equipped with the knowledge to answer any of your questions.

Lastly, we checked out the Tall Ship HMB Endeavour, which was a replica of Captain Cook’s famous vessel when he first discovered Australia. It felt a bit like going onto one of Jack Sparrow’s ships from Pirates of the Caribbean (but much cleaner haha). I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, but seeing my brother so excited about learning the history of these vessels was enough for me to enjoy my time there too.

Tall Ship Endeavour

In addition to exploring the Vessels, our Big Ticket granted us access to the Action Stations and the Special and Permanent exhibitions. This allowed us to check out the Navigators Gallery (which displayed exhibitions defining Australia), the Eora First People Gallery (which displayed the diverse cultures of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities) and the Passengers Gallery (which displayed the long sea voyage millions of people have taken to make new homes in Australia). Not only was I able to learn a bit more about the history of Australia’s naval fleet, but I was able to experience and better understand the stories and historical events that have made us into the multicultural nation we are today.

One of the exhibits at the museum

I have to say, I’m sure you do trips like this when you’re in primary school, but it’s different when you choose to go on a tour like this by yourself without the constant nagging of teachers. I definitely felt like I appreciated everything a lot more and that my mind was more open to absorbing information. I really enjoyed this day and I’m glad that my brother was the one who suggested we do this. I would recommend doing this tour to anyone who has an interest in these types of vessels or if you’re just keen to learn!

It was a particularly hot day that we went, so we ended our visit with ice teas from Chatime. Remember to always stay hydrated!

For this city trip, I opted for high waisted denim shorts with a black and white top for a classic colour combo. This was completed with comfortable white sandals because being in the city means walking, and you want to be able to walk around without your feet aching haha! Check out some of the photos of my outfit below.

To Terrigal

I recently went on a trip with 16 other friends to Terrigal on the Central Coast for three days and two nights. Let’s just say that beyond the fun times, beach-side games and late night drinks, Terrigal is actually a very chill and relaxing place. It’s a family friendly get-away from the city (with many people bringing their pets with them!) where you can opt to soak up the sun on the main beach or go exploring at Terrigal’s quieter and more secluded beaches. In this post, I’ll recap what we did during the three days, what we ate and the places we stayed while on a budget (because when you’re on holidays, the last thing you want to worry about is what the maximum is that you can spend without feeling guilty).

To start off with, I want to say thankyou to the people who organised this trip for everyone! They put in so much effort and I think it really paid off because it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience 🙂

#memesoc at Terrigal

Ok so first thing I want to mention is accommodation.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Airbnb. If not, it is a hosting site where people can list their houses/rooms for rent to people looking for a cheap place to stay. These places have all the facilities that an average home has including TV’s, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and garages for your cars if you’re driving up yourself. Most houses will also offer fresh towels and clean bed sheets with each visit. Essentially you get to live like a local during your stay without the hefty prices some other accommodations charge you.

So what we did was rent two Airbnb homes within walking distance to accommodate our large group. But let me tell you, the main house where we put all the food was located on a very steep hill from where the second house was located. That trek up for lunch and dinner was a bit painful but we made it work HAHA! The cost for the two nights’ accommodation worked out to be around AUD$55 per person which was pretty worth it. On top of the cost, the second house, where I stayed, was only a 5min walk from Terrigal beach, a fact which we definitely took advantage of. I was actually very surprised at the quality of the Airbnb homes we stayed in and for the cheap cost, I will be sure to look at Airbnb homes first when I do any travelling!

The view from the top house

The second thing that should be considered in planning a trip is food and how everyone is going to be fed. On the day we first arrived, we ate lunch at a nearby cafe at our own expense while we waited to be checked-in. Our dinner that night was pizza which we had delivered and was part of the overall trip expense. Note; if you don’t feel like cooking and you’re with a big group of people, pizza is always a fast and easy option for a meal.

Playing at Terrigal beach

On our second day, breakfast consisted of croissants, muffins and banana bread which a friend brought from his café. For those who wanted milk with their breakfast, there was a local IGA which was a 5min walk from the second house. Lunch on the second day involved a bit of preparation with people from the main house pulling apart four bbq chickens bought from the supermarket and adding parsley and other garnishes to it. This could be eaten as it was or could be put on top of slices of bread to make a wholesome, cheap chicken sandwich. Note; if you don’t want to spend time washes up too many dishes and cutlery (which may not be provided at your Airbnb to begin with), come prepared with plastic plates and cutlery which can be easily thrown out afterwards. Dinner on the second day consisted of Thai takeaway which was included in the expenses.

Midnight chills by the beach on the second night

On the third day, we woke up early to clean up so we could check-out in time. This meant we would be buying our brunch before we headed back home. Our large group split off to eat what we wanted. The group I was with ate at a nearby restaurant that was serving $10 big breakfast’s with a complimentary cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. After spending the last two days eating take-out and home-made food, this breakfast was one of the best I had ever had! HAHAHA on top of that we had American pancakes which were basically pancakes with maple flavoured bacon! It was like a symphony in my mouth, simply delicious for my last meal in Terrigal.

And now onto the activities.

Terrigal beach

On the first day we arrived, the weather was quite gloomy and rainy. Thankfully the weather cleared up just as we finished checking in and settling into our house. The group from the second house decided to go to Terrigal beach where we played some beach footy, soccer and water games. The group from the second house opted for some more relaxing activities such as yoga, sleeping and chilling. After washing up, we all came together for dinner and of course… drinking games. It was my first time playing King’s Cup and I have to say it’s pretty fun HAHA!

The second day started off a bit slower thanks to the previous night’s activities. So after lunch, one member from our group suggested we go to a more secluded beach that was a 15min drive away. I would definitely suggest Googling different beaches/places to explore when you visit tourist areas because the more known beaches are often crowded and dirtier. Of course if you want the protection of lifeguards, the smaller beaches won’t be patrolled, but if you take care of each other, the peacefulness of the smaller beaches and the cleaner sand definitely outweighs any benefits of the main beach. So off we went to Spoon Bay which is located within Wamberal Lagoon Natural Reserve.

The view from the top of the bay

Follow the path down from the top and you’ll reach the sandy beach

It was seriously so beautiful there! We were probably the only group there for a while and that allowed us relax and do as we pleased. It was quite a hot day so jumping into the cool refreshing water felt so good! We played some water games, beach soccer and even had some wrestling matches HAHA while some took to getting their tan on. Note; don’t forget to bring towels, and a backpack full of water, sunscreen, hats, umbrellas, tissues and whatever you think you may need. Because when you’re quite far from everything, you won’t be able to go back to retrieve anything you forget. Better to come prepared with everything!

The water was so clear

The sand was so clean

Later in the day, we decided to walk towards the cliff side of the beach and walked on the rock structures. The view from above was incredible and made for some Instagram-worthy photos HEHE after a few hours we headed back for a quieter night of games and less drinking.

Rock structures towards the left of the beach

“Wave after wave, slowly drifting”

Spoon Bay, Wamberal Beach, Terrigal

On our last day, there wasn’t much to do as everything was already packed. So after brunch, we chilled by Terrigal beach before heading back home.

And there you have it! My recap of my trip to Terrigal (my first trip with friends not organised by a school or uni too)!

Let me know of any places you’ve been with friends and what activities are the best to do with a large group of people, also what accommodation you find to be the best! Ok that’s all from me, see you guys soooooon!

Terrigal beach

Towards the right side of the beach there is a kiddy pool and natural rock structures

Newtown Jammin’

A chilled and relaxed environment, colourful street art in the background, guitar in hand and a voice full of soul. Where am I?

Last week, a few friends and I took a trip to Newtown, a quaint suburb in Sydney known for its ‘hipster’ feel and an atmosphere that is completely inviting and comfortable to be in. Yes to positive vibes! Many of the buildings reign from the late Victorian and Federation period of Australia and still maintains its classic style. But of course, if you were to walk along the street today you won’t just encounter old buildings, instead you’ll come across skillfully drawn works of art on walls, some hidden in alleyways that are an explorer’s dream.

We had lunch in one of the cafe’s tucked away into the corner of one of these alleyways then headed off to find a ‘quiet’ place for us to bring out the guitar, rock out some solid harmonies and just jam. Of course, ‘quiet’ wasn’t quite what the place was, what with cars passing by every five minutes. But nevertheless we persevered, and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon singing amongst ourselves with little care in the world.

And it was great! The people passing by didn’t give us any disapproving looks as if to say ‘what are these delinquent children doing sitting on the side of the road?’ but it was as if they were enthralled and enjoyed what we were playing for them. It was as if they were used to this, and that it happened everyday. We ended our jam session with brownies, coffees and hot chocoloate. The perfect way to end a perfect day.

Suffice to say, I’m loving Newtown and for sure I will be returning for more!

Multi-purpose outfit for this adventure of a day included a blue chambray shirt under a grey cable knit turtle neck, black skinny jeans and of course my favourite white converse for a laid back, relaxed look to fit the hipster vibes ✌

“If you’re ever in one of those moods, where you feel like you need to get away, just think back to the good times, when there was laughter and smiles. Find your happy place and you’ll be good again.”