We're back from our year-end vacation!! We headed Down Under this year again, this time, to Sydney. The original plan was to visit Tokyo and Osaka. We had our tickets and accommodations all booked but changed all those plans when news of the Fukushima nuclear leak resurfaced again. The close-to-equivalent cost of the Japan tickets left us with little destination options and Sydney was about the best bet and it turned out to be a great choice and on hindsight, probably better than heading to Tokyo with a 2 year old toddler.
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| View of Sydney Harbour @ Cafe Sydney |
We choose a red-eye flight like we did when we headed to Melbourne last year. I was a little nervous about how she was going to take to the flight. For one, having her own seat now meant that Jules would either have to sleep sitting up (which she has never done before) or lay down stretched out with her head lying on my lap. And for seconds, being older and more curious now also meant that she could potentially be checking out the aircraft and not settle down to sleep at all (which would have been a nightmare). So I prayed that for the sake of the sanity of passengers on board, God, please let her settle down to sleep. God must have been really worried about the other passengers cos He blessed us with not just an extra seat but basically, our family of 6 got two 4-seater and three 3-seater rows all to ourselves! Jules also amazingly managed to sleep all the way from home to the airport right up to the boarding gate - though we looked like a highly suspicious family pushing the stroller with 2 little legs sticking out. She got up in time to board and spent the next 2 hours throughout meal service fiddling with the remotes and jumping from seat to seat. I really appreciated all the extra seats we got! Thankfully the moment they dimmed the cabin lights, our little one nursed herself to sleep for the next 5 hours! The rest of the flight went by rather uneventfully - thankfully.
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| Smuggling a child around the airport |
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| Hi-fives with the stewardess |
We touched down to cool breezy weather despite it being 30 degC. After making the younger sis sleep out in the living room during our Melbourne trip last year, we booked a 3 bedroom apartment (approx 1700 sq ft) instead this time round so that everyone was comfortable. The Meriton Service Apartment at World Tower was huge with a walk-in wardrobe even in the master bedroom. The location was also hard to beat with a supermarket at the mall next door. Service could have been a bit better though but otherwise, no complains and it made a very good home for the week. Jules had more than enough room around the apartment to play hide and seek and room around. Mum potted around in the kitchen cooking meals for Jules, Sam had a cosy room of her own and Dad just loved hanging out in the living area catching up on his Straits Times interactive and giving us a run down on news back home - like the Little India situation. I also loved that they ABC Nine channel screened quality children's programme on their Giggle and Hoot show like Sesame Street, Elmo's World, Bob the Builder and the likes. It kept her well distracted so that she could quickly finish up breakfast every morning!
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| View from the our apartment on the 76th floor |
Sydney is fairly well connected by its bus services and trains so a car was technically not necessary. But we figured with 6 of us, we were probably better off renting a car and getting around. Plus, visits to some of Sydney suburbs were on our itinerary and getting there via public transport wasn't the most ideal. We got the same car as we did in Melbourne - I guess there ain't that many family movers to choose from. Our Kia family carnival was so roomy, we managed to even squeeze all 6 luggages on our way to the airport for our flight home. Being a 7-seater also meant I could keep Jules right behind in the last row so that she doesn't keep insisting on going to the front of the car to drive with her Dada!!
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| A moment with Yiyi Sam in the car |
We spent 7 gorgeous sunny days in Sydney and it was a good break for all. Jules is definitely at a better age for travelling and appreciating the places we go to. Being able to communicate with us also makes the difference. She can articulate her needs (though often they are ridiculous request like wanting that balloon that flew by our 76th storey window) and comprehend instructions perfectly. She did however also choose Sydney to proof that the Terrible Twos are not a myth!! But she was also super adorable despite being naughty (I guess only the mother will use T2s and adorable in the same sentence).
More on our Sydney trip coming up!! Stay tuned!!
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