Melbourne Holiday Day Four - Seals and More!

Saturday, 23rd November 2013

We have had beautiful sunny and cool weather ever since we arrived.  No rain despite the gloomy forecasts earlier, and we are truly thankful.  Before we start to take the weather for granted, God gave a different view today, with the gloomy skies and light shower greeting us in the morning.  A perfect weather to sleep in if not for the fact that we had a full day ahead of us again... and did I mention that check out time was 10am and not the usual 12pm? 

It's nearing 945am when we finally dragged ourselves and the kids out of bed.  William slept like a log and I'd have relented by just bundling him into the car but the thought of him with unbrushed teeth???  Eeeeeuuu... not for this mummy! 

Hubs and I gobbled down the leftover pizza and shared the kids' yogurt and everyone helped with the fresh milk.   Kids had their ham sandwich. 

We headed to the last park in our list, which was the Koala Conservation Centre.

I love this boy's small-big eyes look.

We sang, "We're going on a bear hunt..." song whilst looking for koalas...

"William!  Pretend you're in a jungle with this background, ok?"

From the boardwalk, we see this little nursery at the bottom.

Looking for koalas is not easy.  First, you must have very good eyesight and that means NO ASTIGMATISM because most of the times you'll need to look up to search amongst the tall trees for little koala bears.  Secondly, you must have good neck muscle for the same reason.  Oh, and I learnt something new... koala is pronounced as "ko-a-la" here, and not "cola" like what we're so used to back home, hehehe.

There was another family around, and they pointed out the koalas to us.  Here's one...

Do you see what I see?  High high up in the tree... a KOALA!!  This is maximum zoom with my S95

A Mummy and Boy Boy shot

We didn't stay long here, because it started to drizzle and we ran our way back to the centre for shelter.  I don't think we missed much anyway, and most importantly, the kids got to see real koalas.

Next stop - The Nobbies.  Now The Nobbies is free... but don't think just because it's free, it's "nothing much" because in my most humble opinion, this is a MUST SEE place in Phillip Island.  The scene is so breathtaking, and you can easily spend hours there.  I was reading on the souvenir book yesterday and realized that there's more to The Nobbies that we did not discover.  Oh well... I guess that calls for a next time... haha...

William enjoyed chasing the birds, Vic was more subdued for whatever reasons.  This girl needs a lot of coaxing, compliments, kind words and more, just to bring her to happy-happy mode.  The boy, on the other hand, takes little to please.  Give him an outdoor and a few birds, and he'll be fine. 

We enjoyed the breeze and the scenery.  Only thing was having to watch out for bird poo - don't step on them, don't accidentally lean on the contaminated fence and pray you're not unlucky enough (or some might say, lucky) to get a fresh dropping on your head! 

Sea gulls resting

Silver gulls are seen during spring and summer

A seagull standing on a fence.  All those poo is not from him. 

Taking a short walk down before heading back up when Kelvin and family arrived

Yummy, yummy, home cooked nasi lemak - all prepared by EC, chicken drumsticks with coconut rice, complete with roasted groundnuts, sambal, fried anchovies, hard boil egg and cucumbers.  For dessert, we had a little contrast... Lamingtons

This was wear we had our little picnic.  The eight of us, with great food and great fellowship.  We decided to sit under the shade in case the gulls overhead decide to "ka liu" (add ingredients) to our luncheon

V, W and J

We left Nobbies to head back to town, where we pick up our tickets for the seal cruise.  The sea was a rather choppy, and Vic and W was feeling nauseous but thank God there was no antiperistalsis.  William fell asleep holding on to our milk carton (from breakfast) and missed the whole seal experience.  I took plenty of video and photos to show him instead.

The beachside and jetty where we boarded our cruise ship

The three older kids hung out together out on the open upper deck

Whilst William preferred to be inside, because he was "afraid that we'd fall into the big vast ocean."  Here he's downing more milk that we brought along to finish so it wouldn't spoil in the car.  I was contemplating if I should stop him because the sea was rather choppy and he may just puke, especially after a full lunch too. 

Just a section of Seal Rock... there is easily thousands of 'em seals!

Picture perfect.  God is even more perfect and beautiful than His creation.

Mr Seal

More more seals basking in the afternoon sun!  I was pondering to hubby how nice it is to be a seal...

Swimming seals every where

Each child got a special surprise - to be captain of the ship for just a few minutes, and they get a certificate for that too!

When we docked, we went for tea in town which was just a short 5 minutes walk.   Kids had fish and chips from Chino's whilst adults nibbled on sweet lemon meringue and passion fruit cheese cake from the local bakery next door. 

Closer to 5pm, we decided to say bye bye to Phillip Island and head back to Melbourne.  We didn't go straight home, but stopped by Springvale to have the most talked about Vietnamese food.  

Pho comes in large bowls that can easily feed three kids or one hungry man!

Their contact number. 

Melbourne Day Three - Kangaroos, Wallabies and Penguins

Continued

Friday, 22nd November 2013

We purchased entrance tickets for the Penguin Plus and 3 Parks which includes the Churchill Island Heritage Farm, Koala Conservative Centre and the Penguin Parade. 

In 2006, when we brought Victoria here (then close to 2 years old) we visited Maru Koala Park where we got to feed kangaroos and took pictures with the koala bear.  This trip, we were past Maru but "Shirley" at the front desk informed us that we could still visit the Wildlife Park before it closes.  It was good that we stayed in Cowes which was near to all the attractions. 

We paid AUD46 for the family package and given a packet of feeds each.  The experience was definitely worth more than the amount paid - to say it best... it was priceless!

A cockatoo showing us the way?

Dingoes.  We are not allowed to go near.  See the sign on the fence?  There was another fence before this electric fence - double security!

William's first time feeding a kangaroo.  A mother kangaroo too!  Kids were so fascinated with the joey in the pouch.  I have to add that this boy really has no fear.  Just like the rabbits in his school excursion, he patted and stroked and fed the wallabies and kangaroos here like they were his friends

Wallabies and kangaroos were free to roam.  The tallest was about Victoria's height, so they didn't seem too intimidating, but I did feel scared when a group of them surround the kids waiting expectantly for their feed.

A couple of them sportingly posed for me

Victoria feeds at a distance.  She was fearful but bravo for overcoming her fear.  At one point, she got upset with Daddy for walking away and "leaving her behind"

See the kangaroos all waiting behind?

Not knowing how many more hungry kangaroos beside these in this area, we kept most of the kangaroo feed.  But regretably, we should have finish feeding these roos as there weren't many more later.  A couple here and there but they needed coaxing to eat - obviously they have been eating the whole day already!

Enjoy the following video...



William kept his packet of feed hoping that he will have the chance to see more kangaroos in this trip.  But we did not, and the last I saw the packet of feed was in Kelvin's car.  ; )

We couldn't stay later than 5pm because that was the time that the Park closes.  Just as well, as we hurried off to town to grab dinner to eat and bath in our apartment, before our next adventure at the Penguin Parade.

I had identified a burger outlet from their advertisement in a tourist map, claiming 100% pure Australian beef, free range eggs, etc so we headed there.  Just after I ordered, William told me that he needed to go poo poo.  There was no toilet at the burger outlet, and no toilet in the shops next door, nor any toilets to be seen nearby.   I told Vic to stay put in the burger shop whilst Daddy and I split to look for toilets.  Daddy took William with him.  Then I lost them.  I walked up and down, in and out and stood along the walkway hoping to catch sight of hubby or son.  

A hotel was in sight and further down I spotted a public toilet signage.    By then, our takeaway burgers were ready and Vic and I went down the road to look for the public toilet.  Couldn't see any.  (Later I found out that it was behind the cruise office down the road.)

Time was running out as we needed to be at the Penguin Parade by 7pm.   So we went back into the burger outlet and waited.  Shortly I received a SMS  from hubby that William was taking a long time to finish his "business."  When we reunited, hubby said he had to order a pizza from the shop just so they could use the toilet!  Oh well, all's well end's well... Vic had had her burger dinner whilst waiting, and I managed to gobble down half of my dinner as well.

William dug into his burger in the car, as we rushed back to our apartment - without speeding, because here in Australia, we have to be very careful to follow the speed limit! 

Bathed the kids in record time and we hurried out again, this time headed to the Penguin Parade.

Thank God that there is no traffic jam in Cowes and with the GPS, we didn't have to worry about direction.  We got there a little past 7pm, but in time to redeem our penguin brochures and free drinks and take a stroll down to the deck.
 

At the entrance, there is a board telling us what's the comfort level like, so we know how to dress "appropriately."

We saw penguin burrows along the way

Me and my two precious

It drizzled just a little before we saw this.  God is so wonderful!

This was the last or second last picture I took before the park ranger told me to keep my camera.  I actually thought that we were not allowed to snap pictures of the penguins only, but looks like photography of any kind is prohibited.

 

I secretly snap a picture of the deck that we were on.  The little flers would later come up from the sea, cross the beach and wait one by one to cross the small stream you see here, the move cutely along the path to their respective burrows.

Here are pictures that I borrowed from the internet of the fairy penguins that we saw that night.  It was a little challenge to keep the boy sitted as the deck got more crowded, and we had to remind him many times to talk quietly or don't talk at all.  Obviously the 45 minutes wait for the penguins was boring to William.  Victoria was easy on this.

We spotted the first shy penguin somewhere high up on the hill.  But it didn't come down.  The first flock of penguins turn up from the beach nearing 845pm, which was dusk.  You really don't feel it's late with the sun staying up late like this.

This is when it got more exciting.  Victoria can remember a little bit of her first experience here in 2006.  William prefers to touch and interact with the furry bird, just like how he does with the other animals and he got a little upset that all he could do was watch.  Cannot talk loudly, cannot jump around, cannot run around, cannot touch, cannot feed... Totally not what the boy would call fun!  But guess what, when we were leaving, he wanted to stay back!

Nearing 11pm, just before Woolworths closes, we went in to grab some fresh milk and ham to go with the bread that EC packed for us.  Oh, did I mention, that she passed us this bag of food as we left her house yesterday, and merely said it was for our breakfast.  She had lovingly packed bread, can food to make sandwiches, peaches and nectarines for us.  She is such a darling!

I have to mention also that I simply loooovvvveee shopping in supermarkets overseas.  We are totally spoilt for choices!  Just choosing the fresh milk, hubs and I stood there comparing for 5 minutes, and another 5 minutes just to decide which yogurt to pick.  The kids wanted one type, but I preferred them to take another type, and then hubs saw this really organic goat, no flavour yogurt.  So I taught why not, and had to convinced the two buggers darlings to take that for their breakfast.

I picked up peanut butter also which was on this week's promotion. 

Then we headed back to Glen Isla for the night.  No one was tired, despite a whole day of activities.

More fun tomorrow lined up...

Melbourne Holiday Day Three - Phillip Island

Friday, 22nd November 2013

We had very good sleep last night, all of us.  Vic slept with her friends in their room, and William shared daddy and mummy's cozy double bed in the guest room.  Whether due to fatigue, the nice cooling weather or the very comfortable bed, we all woke later than planned, except for Vic.  She said goodbye to J&W who had school.

For the whole of this trip, William was always the last to wake up.  EC made Milo for all of us and we ate bread and sausages before leaving.  The kids had theirs wrapped so they can eat in the car.  William gulped down a glass of fresh milk before leaving, still in his groggy state.  We bid a temporary farewell to Kelvin and EC and headed to Phillip Island where we will spend 2D1N.

Weather was good as God changes the forecast yet again, so that we can have a clear, sunny day!  The 2 hour journey was pleasant and with the GPS that EC equipped us with, we had no trouble finding our first destination, San Remo Jetty.

Clear signage and pretty blue skies

Along the way...

There is a pelican feeding at 12noon daily just outside the Pelican View Fish & Chips shop (where we will have our lunch) but we were 15 minutes late so when we parked, we jumped out of the car and told the kids to run along towards the pelicans where a small crowd was slowly dispersing.  The feeding has just finished, and we were too late.  But the pelicans hung around long enough for us latecomers to snap pictures of them.

They are turning their backs on us here... coz feeding is over

A rare brother-sister shot

Little boy watching the remaining few pelicans.

Me and my princess

Next time you return to this place, William, you will be as tall as the signboard!

I was telling Vic, that if she worked here, it wouldn't be work anyway, coz she'd be enjoying the view here, going out fishing, feeding the birds and doing all that she likes.  It's past noon, I know... but we can all still day dream on a holiday!

Vic wants me to capture this shot of seagulls on the signage. 

We walked around the quiet jetty.  There was less than a handful of other tourists beside us, and a couple of men fishing along the bridge.  Next to the jetty, we saw big stingrays approximately measuring 2 metres in diameter and some fishes.  Daddy even spotted lobsters!

Our stomachs were beginning to grumble so we proceeded to the Pelican View for our lunch.  I ordered a fisherman's basket with a mixture of flake fish, calamari, scallops and prawns, plus a set of the day's special.

Part of lunch.

Food was cooked fresh during the 15 minutes wait.  The scallops and prawns could have been bigger and the batter was rather thick, but hey, I'm not complaining because I'm in my happy place eating my favourite food (ie seafood)!  After lunch, we moved on into the island, where we first located our Apartment to check in.

Before this trip, EC helped research accommodation for us and at one point, we had to forego staying a night in Phillip Island as we could not find affordable accommodation as there was a Motor GP race held during the same weekend as our visit.

Then we were informed of a couple of cancellations for house accommodation, but apparently their terms and deposit requirement was not reasonable, and then this Apartment came available with more flexible and reasonable terms, so EC proceeded to book this on our behalf.  I told you she's a gem and God was definitely at work here!  She did all the negotiations and booking for us and we merely had to drive up there and check ourselves in.

The couple at the front desk was very nice.  Pity I forgotten their names.  I think the wife is called Shirley.  We were given a self-contained apartment - with a double bed, two single beds, a dining area, kitchen and toiletries were provided too.  We even had a small private patio in front of our entrance but unfortunately we didn't have the opportunity to sit around to sip a cuppa.  The kids may have used the chair once while wearing their shoes, I believe.

Dining cum kitchen area - cutlery and utensils are in drawers and cabinet

This is the patio outside our entrance.  Private and exclusive but without a view, so it's good for chatting or smoking (no relevant to us, by the way)

Bathing towels with recyclable strings tied around it

The frontage

After checking in, we headed out to Churchill Island Heritage Farm but not without stopping by the local Woolworths which is just down the corner.  Yes, we discovered that our apartment although located in a quiet neighborhood, but it's less than 5 minutes drive down the road to the convenient stores.  Here, we bought drinking bottles for the kids because "Shirley" informed us that although the tap water was safe to drink but it had a strong chlorine taste.

At the Farm, we missed the cow milking session but were in time to see the blacksmith and boomerang display.  For the latter, we were showed how to throw the boomerang and William volunteered to try together with me.  His boomerang didn't go far but good job for having the courage!

This picture looked a little fake, but it's real.  Direct from my camera.  Would have been nice to sit around, enjoy a cuppa but there wasn't a sitting area by the roadside to appreciate this view. 

A family of ducks enjoying the afternoon

A vain peacock paraded around the farm after the blacksmith show... and I'm not talking about William ; P

Showing how the boomerang works

We saw only one horse.

Happiest when there are flowers... or snow... or cheese... or wine... or ... I can go on and on.

Boy was so fascinated with the canon

Leaving Churchill Island, we saw these along the way...

This scene reminds me of New Zealand where we had our honeymoon, but in NZ there were a thousand more sheep everywhere. 

This is the single lane bridge that led us out of the "island."  Now you know why Churchill Island is called an island : )  Because this bridge is only wide enough for one vehicle to go through, the other vehicle will have to back off.  Remember the story of the two goats?

To be continued - Kangaroos, Wallabies and Penguins!