hunting for breakfast: Getting lost in Surry Hills

When was the last time you set out on a journey to a place you’ve never been to before? Alone and unarmed - well, at least a map with you? 

The idea might seem daunting but when you’re twenty-five and had been working your ass off for more than a year without any legit vacation, you’d be thrilled to do something outside your usual grind. That, for me, meant getting lost in Surry Hills on a sunny day in Sydney.

Several months before my Sydney trip, I’ve been googling up restaurants and other places to “be” in Sydney and stumbled across Bourke Street Bakery. For some reason, this place got stuck to my head and I decided to visit it for breakfast that day. I woke up unusually early and eager to start my great Sydney bakery hunt in Surry Hills.

Since it seemed to be the nearest jump off point to my destination, I got off from Museum station and started to walk straight, along Elizabeth Street. 

According to the map, it didn't seem like a long walk. The map was inconveniently big and I didn't want to attract attention from the locals. I decided to keep it inside my bag and enjoy the stroll. I just needed to walk straight on, make a couple of left turns and voila, BREAKFAST! I kept that as my motivation as the walk started to get a little weird. 

After a couple of turns, I made my way into a plain and quiet neighbourhood with similar looking houses. It was just around seven in the morning so I assume most of them are still asleep or preparing for work. I thought, hmm, this could be Surry Hills already. However, I was starting to worry. I didn’t want to be “judge-y” but this doesn’t seem to be the place for a good bakery to be in. Aside it being sleepy and slow, it was a pain to be wandering around because it was hilly and boy, I had some cheeky sandals with me. 

I wasn’t quite dressed appropriately either. Though a sunny day was about to explode (so says the weather station online), people wearing layers of sweaters and jackets were giving me bewildered looks as I went around wearing sleeveless and shorts. 

Yep, with some Ruby Woo to top! That pic was taken when I finally gave up my pretentiousness and dug up my map. I retraced my steps and at that time, I was able to walk around 5 kilometers within the span of an hour! I was already half way so I decided to stay there, rest my bones for a bit before the final stretch.

I began to see some establishments along the street - a couple of cupcake stores, laundromat and even a mini grocery. This could only mean that the bakery is but a few meters away.

To cut the story short, it took me around thirty minutes of hardcore "hill" walking before I finally got to the place and was on the verge of giving up. Lifting this from my travel journal:

I was supposed to give up already but then I was able to get a whiff, a smell of really good bread. And just as I was about to give up - THERE IT IS!

Bourke Street Bakery (Surry Hills)

There was a line when I got there and on several times when I was eating. Most have their coffee and bread to go but for those of who want to enjoy their breakfast, there's a couple of chairs and tables on the side (al fresco).

Come to momma!

When I finally got to the counter, I was too giddy enough to get a decent shot of their goodies and just ordered. It felt overwhelming to finally arrive at a place you've been thinking (and drooling) about for the past few months. I got myself a decent Reuben Sandwich and some Mocha.



Was it good? HELL YES! My only regret was not trying their bagels, pies and muffins!

That ends my story about breakfast. Sharing with you some of my thoughts and feelings about this mini adventure:

1. Sometimes, the journey will last longer than expected.
2. Despite ample preparations, you could get lost. No map could prepare you for being right there, on your own. Just go, walk as planned. Check your map or pointers from time to time. Again, there's a possibility of getting lost but this should not scare you. 
3. You may have a map with you but you also need to know how to use it. Sometimes, you just don't take it and use it as it is. You have to study the map, know where you are (cross-reference it with the map) and find out the best way to go to your destination.
4. Taking shortcuts is okay. Switching paths could either make the trip shorter or longer and one wrong turn could make you lose your way. If shortcuts don't work, use the map.
5. You can also ask other people. Ask people along the way. 
6. Sometimes, getting there won't feel like what you've imagined for so long. Just take whatever you have and move along. I imagined me taking lots of snapshots of the place but ended up cozied at one corner with my coffee and sandwich. 
7. However tiring it is, nobody can take away the miles you've covered, the sights you've seen, the lessons you've learned along the way, the coffee and the Reuben sandwich you got for breakfast.

reminiscing: Of Christmases present

Merry Christmas!

I’m currently feeling like a koala, chillin’ on a branch of eucalyptus. All the holiday food keep on coming and well, couldn’t resist!

A couple of days ago, I’ve stumbled across a couple of posts on Facebook from friends my age lamenting how they still haven’t felt the Christmas spirit yet. To some extent, I sadly agree. I’m currently 25 and at a crossroads in finding a new meaning to this season.

How did you spend your Christmas?

An hour before Christmas eve and after wrapping all our presents, I slowly slipped into dreamland while my parents were preparing for our family Christmas eve party over at my uncle's place. I found my way to my room, slept and told them I can't join. I was too tired and my energy was running out for it took me more than 12 hours to reach home, in time for the holidays.

You see, 24 hours before I finally decided to rest, our LCLC reunion had just finished and I was packing my stuff, getting ready for my 4am ride to the airport. I tried to get some shut-eye but was too worried I won't be able to wake up to my alarms. I was able to get to my trip, then my flight. 

Arrived at Cebu just on time. The mood at the airport was light and jovial. All the attendants were cheerful, as well as the tourists and travellers eager to reach home. I was one of those people, a little less cheerful than the rest because I was worried I won't be able to catch the RORO trip back home. That I needed to pack all my things in my pad in Iloilo, catch the trip, reach home before midnight and celebrate the holidays with my family. Man, I was starving so I indulged myself with some airport lechon. Before I knew it, my flight was about to leave and in less than an hour, we landed in Iloilo.

Off I was, rushing to my pad. I had exactly 4 hours to pack a year's worth of clothes and other stuff from my pad. As much as I want to go reminisce all the moments and memories that went with everything I was packing, I needed to do much in so little time. I passed by McDonald's and drove like crazy to the RORO port, boarded the next ship out and patiently waited for the ship to dock at BREDCO.

I don't want to bore you with details of my boring Christmas any further. I may have dozed off and skipped the Christmas eve party but I felt blessed to be home. This year, Christmas for me meant going back to a place of peace and happiness and being with the people I love the most, my family. It's about turning away from work-related stress and the petty worries of the world and finding time for the people and things that really matter to you.

That's about it, for now. I'll also be finding time for my next OVERDUE posts about Canberra (and the rest of my Australia trip), Seoul and Siargao. Let's go!

down under: Sights and sounds of downtown Sydney (and beyond)

It’s been more than a month since I left Australia and my heart’s still a bit hungover! I find myself checking out pictures (which I don’t plan on uploading to Facebook yet) because I just can’t get over all the wonderful things I did back there. It's probably the “first time high” (for traveling alone) or that I just miss the feeling of free falling.

Anyway, I think I haven’t told you much about my Sydney trip – wait, I think I did. A teeny tad bit of it (here) and well, I'll take it up from there.

I'm pretty sure you’ve seen this iconic structure a thousand times but nothing beats the feeling of seeing it right in front of you for the first time! The sails look rather creamy up close. They get their immaculate white glow once the sun is up and about – which exactly what happened when I first laid eyes on the Opera House.

This was how it looked it just before sunset.

I made my way to the hostel and after that, I got back to the quay and explored some parts of The Rocks. I stayed for two nights at Sydney YHA – The Rocks, a couple of blocks away from the quay. I booked the place online via their site. I wasn't quite sure where to stay at first but after finding out that the place offers wonderful views of the Opera House, I knew that I shouldn't think twice.

You can see and breathe the history as you walk along the streets and alleyways at The Rocks. The streets and alleys are filled with quaint stores, restaurants and other quirky establishments. This district is actually pretty alive, even at night. I wouldn’t have passed up the opportunity for a night out at one of the restaurants there but gosh, walking around sure got me drained!

As it is when travelling other countries, I braced myself for walking. I made sure I packed a pair of comfy sandals (as well as a pair of of foldable flats) for this trip. My hostel (and The Rocks, in general) was located in a rather hilly area and the shortcuts had several flights of stairs. Making my way to the quay from the hostel took 15 minutes and a dozen of throbbing nerves on my legs.

Circular Quay (taken from The Rocks side)

I spent around 80% of my time walking when I was in Sydney; and for someone who dislikes walking, I managed to survive! I didn’t have an itinerary but I had a map and all the time in the world, so I just went. I went on with no clear direction or plans of where I wanted to be. This perfectly sums up how I felt during that time (and happens to be one of my favorite parts of the book):

That's exactly what I did. Upon arriving at Town Hall station, I went to the nearest McDonald's to plan my attack. Helpful tip - McDonald's has free WiFi so if you need a quick Facebook check or whatnot, just find a Maccas down the corner. 

Town Hall was the best place to start the day as all the attractions were nearby. I identified the places I wanted to visit and took it from there. Since the spots seemed really close with each other, I decided to leave the navigating to my internal compass and just wing it. For a couple of hours, my neurons took a back seat and just enjoyed the sights and sounds of downtown Sydney.

Here's a summary of the attractions I was able to cover. To be honest, I didn't think I could cover all the spots I wanted to visit in a span of two hours.

• Town Hall
• Queen Victoria Building (QVB)
• Hyde Park
• St. Mary's Cathedral (within Hyde Park)
• Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG)

Town Hall

Inside Queen Victoria Building

Just to give you an idea, here's the map of my path from Town Hall to Royal Botanic Gardens.

It took me an hour and a half to arrive at RBG (Royal Botanic Gardens) from Town Hall. As you might have probably noticed from the map I posted above, it was a long crazy walk from Town Hall to RBG. Sure, I knew where I wanted to go but didn't quite figure out how to get there. I thought it was all easy peasy. I had to stop several times and check out my map to confirm where I was and if I was heading the right way. I never knew reading maps was a hard feat. After several attempts in finding my next left or right turn, I just surrendered the judgement to my feet and eyes. I reminded myself that this trip was about free falling and that I shouldn't let "directions" get in the way of me having a good first day.

Since my legs were aching so bad, I decided to take a very quick upon arriving at RBG! I found myself a spot on the hilly garden, overlooking the bay. The people who shared the grass with me were also enjoying their day. Some were chatting. Some where were sharing a bite. Some were chasing each other and enjoying the lovely spring weather.

It was so idyllic - spending the afternoon slowly and down on the grass with a good book. After finishing a chapter, I got my map and marked my next few stops within the RBG. Around 10 minnuts from where I sat were beautiful spots to view the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Among these spots is the famed Mrs. Macquarie's chair which is located at the southernmost tip of the park, overlooking the bay.

I took my time and enjoyed the walk along the bay. A lot of people were there too - some were doing their routine jog and others were probably tourists like me, hoping to get the perfect shot of the sunset against the Opera House and Harbour Bridge

I waited as the sky turned from blue, to crimson and voila! The perfect sunset... and the perfect shot!

As it finally turned dark, I made my way to the Opera House. 

The Opera Bar, which is just beside the Opera House, is the perfect place to go get your "sunset chill" on. The whole area was abuzz at dusk - people coming together to have after-work drinks and some fun. It was sad to be alone there at that time but I had a bottle of beer to keep me company as I observed how the men in suits rolled up their sleeves and laughed with their mates and how the ladies were probably busy chatting about the latest fashion trends - or the cute new boy at the office.

The Circular Quay looked lovely at night. At around 7PM, I decided to find myself some dinner before calling it a night. The Rocks was around 10 minutes from the Opera Bar and there you can find some good dining choices at reasonable prices. When I say reasonable, it goes around 15-25 AUD and based on my dinner at The Rocks Cafe, you can get your money's worth. I decided to splurge a little because it was my first night. 

I got myself a Kangaroo burger it tasted awesome! However, after three bites, I started to visualize a kangaroo and how cute and furry it was. The meat I was chewing between my teeth did not taste like how I visualized it but then I reminded myself that, yes it had to die for me. Long story short, I was not able to finish the burger. Good thing the serving was huge and I was already full.

And that's how the day ended. Before hitting sack, I already read up about my destinations for the next day and figured out how to get there. I also decided to ditch the travel guides and just bring a map because walking around with 20 tons of stuff around your shoulder sure wasn't easy. I was all pumped up and excited to conquer another part of Sydney and tick off a few items in my bucket list. 

Up next (hopefully soon enough) is how I got lost in Surry Hills in the search of a bakery and how I managed to tick off 5 items in by bucket list in a day. Let's go!

down under: DIY Australia for less than PHP 50k!

So, you got yourself a good seat sale?

Kidding! But really, don't you just love seat sales? I do! It's quite funny because every month, there seems to be a trend on Filipino's vacation destinations - a pattern that I’m sure comes from the availability of seats on sale in Cebu Pacific. From March to May this year, people flocked the land of the Rising Sun time for spring and well, cherry blossoms! Since a month ago, the place to be was Sydney. I know of at least 5 friends who was just there this past month and will be going there in a couple of weeks. I know right? Well, I was there too, thanks to the constant prodding of my beloved friend Yam.

To be really honest, Australia was not really on my horizon until I booked the ticket. I had this feeling that I couldn't afford it. Would it be possible to travel Australia on a shoestring budget considering all the beautiful places and things to do there? After all, it would be sayang not to go all out since it's such a beautiful place and going there is not that easy. You'd need a Tourist Visa and well, the application itself would actually cost you a few thousands. All that changed when I risked my P 8,000 for a roundtrip ticket to Sydney via Cebu Pacific.

I was supposed to go with a friend but unfortunately she didn’t push through because of visa problems. That friend was supposed to be the one with all the plans and I’ll just be the one trailing around. Sad as it was, there’s nothing I could do to change the verdict on her visa and I had to go out there on my own. 

You see, it was actually my first time to go on a trip alone. Overseas. With no legit plans. Though I made fixed plans to visit both Sydney and Melbourne (and all the spots I'd want to go to), I didn't prepare any fixed itinerary. I had no clue on how to go from point A to B or whether it would be cheaper to take the bus than the train and the list goes on. These things actually matter if you're short on time and money and dear reader, I totally understand how it feels! I hope the stuff I'll share can help you out with your planning. Here's for those of you who want it quick and fast.

How much will it cost for a seven day stay? You will roughly spend around AUD 100 per day of stay in Australia, that’s loosely around PHP 3,400 and that already includes the accommodations, transportation, food, entrance fees and other miscellaneous fees.

Accommodations	AUD 40	Hostel; Sharing room for 4 (Female)
Food	AUD 30	Budget of AUD 10 per meal
Transportation	AUD 20	Train/Bus card
Miscellaneous	AUD 10	For emergencies and random finds
TOTAL	AUD 100

Of course, the costs will re-adjust depending on your activities as well. For example, if you plan to go to Taronga Zoo or join a day trip, that would be topped up to your total expenses as well. The key here is about knowing tips and shortcuts that could actually keep you from spending money in turista traps.

Here’s a few that could help you:

You can skip the travel books. I made the (expensive!) mistake of buying travel books before the trip and actually not having enough time to finish reading them. You’d have to browse though dozen of pages to get what you’re looking for  - and actually, sometimes you don’t! Also, not only are they bulky (especially if you’re lugging around your stuff with you as you go around), the information you need is readily available online. The internet is a goldmine and if you find what you’re looking for, you’ll be blessed with maps, tips and itineraries like this one! What could also help is gathering city maps, guides and brochures in the airport or in train/bus stops.

Yes, I keep a travel journal too!

Utilize your gadgets. In conjunction with Tip#1, you can download all the information you need in your phones/tablets for easier reference when you’re there. Note that if you don’t get a SIM there or subscribe to roaming, you wouldn’t be using your phone as much – aside from pictures and the occasional social media shout outs if there are free WiFi spots. In between all the selfies and mandatory Facebook posts, you can check your itinerary and maps conveniently loaded in your phone or tablet.

And on SIM cards – You don’t need one. If you’re traveling for a week only and not having anything urgent to attend to, save yourself a couple of bucks. Wifi is readily available (for free).

Unless you travel overseas often, do not buy their transformers. Plugs and sockets look quite different depending on which country you go to and well, for Australia it looks like this:

Source: stockarch.com

Your standard Pinoy plugs won’t cut it. You’d need a transformer for you to charge your gadgets. I was inclined to buy a transformer (usually around AUD 15 ~ PHP 510) but I asked our hostel’s reception and they actually rent out some! It’s actually more of borrowing – you pay AUD 20 at the time you get and once you return it in one piece, they give you the money back. I’m sure some hostels also have this feature. No need to spend!

But then again, if you frequent other countries too, I suggest you buy a multi-purpose transformer (costs around PHP 1500).

Know thy Opal/Myki Card and their daily caps. You’d need a pre-loaded card to access the transport facilities in the cities. In Sydney, that’s the Opal Card and in Melbourne, the Myki. You just need to purchase the card from the train stations or any convenient store with the card sign/logo. It wouldn’t be too hard to find, really. 

Sure, you can still purchase your tickets at the train station and pay cash but then these pre-loaded cards have great perks that are actually good for travelers! For example, the Opal Card (Sydney) has a daily maximum cap of AUD 15 so regardless of how many times you hop on a train, board a bus or use their ferry services – it’s just gonna be AUD 15, baby! And for weekends, the cap is actually just at AUD 2.6! Not bad at all.

Also, make sure you tap out each time because from what I know, they’ll charge you the full fare if you don’t tap out before tapping into another service.

If you say you’re scrooging up big time, WALK the talk. I mean, seriously. Toughen up your leg muscles and walk.        

In the Philippines, we are pretty apprehensive when it comes to walking to our destination even it is just a few blocks away. Admit it, it’s a culture. Maybe it’s the unpredictable weather, the pollution or probably the availability of short-range modes of transport like the pedicabs and tricycles – there are a plethora of reasons and I’m sure you could add up a few.

To be totally honest, I was surprised that I was able to cover most of the attractions in one afternoon in Sydney. I started out at Town Hall and went all the way from there. Don’t worry, I am 100% sure that you wouldn’t be burdened by heat or pollution. Well, just make sure you’ll apply sunscreen cause it might not be hot and humid but the UV rays would definitely hit you and leave you three tones darker. Trust me and well, you’re welcome!

What you need is a map and a good sense of direction.  Most of the attractions are just nearby and there are lots of signboards to show you the way. If you’ve got poor sense of direction, you could always ask. The officers on the street and at bus and trains stations are all warm and accommodating.

On top of it all, there’s something different in exploring the city by foot and on your own. You get to feel the local beat and see how locals spend their day. In Sydney, people are all hustling and bustling on the streets of CBD around noon and by sunset, you see all the young and young-at-hearts hitting the restaurants and bars. The city is alive and you should be, too! And the best way to make this happen is to explore the sights by foot!

In traveling between cities, take an overnight bus. I’m sure some of you who took long-haul trips like Europe could relate. Instead of paying for a flight and a night in a hotel/hostel, you could save up by getting an overnight bus to take you to your next destination. Also aside from the savings, doing an overnight bus trip would save you time in the day. Going to Melbourne form Canberra could take you 9 – 10 hours via bus. Instead of paying around AUD 130 for an overnight stay in hostel and the bus tickets, I was able to save the AUD 40 which I could use up for something else.

Also, while you're at it... make sure you're seated in front so you get a full view of the scenic landscape between cities.

And finally, in true DIY fashion – as much as you can, do not get an organized tour.  There are some perks in joining a tour. You’ll be with tour guides which are knowledgeable about the place, its history and other quirks. You’ll be skipping all the grunge because they’ll be taking you to the best and hot spots – just like how holidays should be spent!

Again, this comes with a price and a certain level of risk. The good ones usually have the “good rates” too. Sure, you might have found the operator with the lowest rates but they tours might not be as good as advertised. It helps if you get some feedback from people who joined it and take it from there. I took an organized tour for my Great Ocean Road trip - primarily because it was logistically impossible for me to travel cheap. There aren't any passenger buses plying the route and it would be very expensive if I get myself a car and drive around myself. That was our plan, though. I mean, traveling alone gives you the flexibility in terms of time and places you want to see. Organized tours have a pre-set itinerary and since you're traveling with a bunch of people, it would be really inconsiderate to lag behind to get that perfect selfie.

However, it all depends on what you’re there for. The whole point of this is for you to have the time of your life and if it would take you a few hundred bucks to do that, go and splurge love! I was there for a holiday-slash-soul-searching so I decided to wing it and see how it pans out for me. I chose explore the city on my own and got more than what I hoped for. All those hours spent walking and just immersing myself in the scene allowed me to get a new perspective of how things are and how they should be.

I digress! If you’re up for it, go and get lost in the streets of Sydney! Gallivant all over Canberra and Melbourne! Eitherway, I’m sure you’ll have a blast… without spending a lot!

UNLESS IT’S FREE: I saw this ad on one of the brochures I got from the hostel but the overwhelming desire to conquer had me exploring on my own.

It's under I'm Free Tours and you can check them out here. I saw the ratings and they’re pretty good! If you find yourself in one of these free tours, hope you can share how it was.

Now, that wasn't quite quick and fast. There you have it, my two cents on how to get the most bang of your hard earned bucks on your much-deserved Australia vacation! Will be posting my day to day IT (and some of my thoughts and rambles) in a couple of days. Let’s go!

PS. Here’s the link for my downloadable IT with costs. Enjoy!