Travel Experiences

Day 1 - Sydney

Generally speaking, felt welcome. People are warm and nice, eager to help. We were exhausted after 30 hours we spent traveling and needed to check in early. We travelled to Sydney from Toronto. Intercontinental Hotel staff accommodated our request and we checked in at 8:30 AM. This made a huge difference since we could freshen up and start the day. Room was well appointed and adequate.

Sydney downtown highlights were Darling harbor and Circular Quay.

Lunch buffet at the Tower, Sky Feast, was a revolving restaurant to take in the views and the buffet to appeal to any taste bud. There was multiethnic-international cuisine. I liked the middle eastern fare and my kids devoured the seafood. I am more critical of Indian food preparation because I know what great Indian food tastes like:)

Don’t miss the shopping in the Westfield mall once you are done with the buffet.

Victoria building was amazing, as I loved the architecture and the cute shops tucked in.

We took a train to the Tram sheds which was a recommendation on TripAdvisor/Google. Nothing to write home about:) We left that place in 10 minutes so you get the point.

Sydney Opera House was stunning, but we couldn’t watch a show since we had not reserved ahead of time. Admired the architecture. We enjoyed snacks and beverages, as well as great beer and cocktails in the opera house Canteen. The evening sun is gorgeous. The vibe and atmosphere is contagious and the staff is efficient and friendly.

The kids felt welcome as well. The water views under the evening sun are beyond description.

Royal Botanical Garden was nice, but there was a concert at the garden, so we didn’t spend much time enjoying the garden but the concert. We reached there around 6 pm. What amazed me was the quality of entertainment at the gardens that was free of charge. It was better than some of the paid concerts I have been to. The music, dance, and performances were excellence. The cheer and joy in the air was incredible. There was free face painting for the kids!

Another thing that caught my attention, it may seem minor but gosh it was huge with the kids, was the port-a-potty! It had plumbing, flushes that worked, a security guard to guide the traffic and bathroom lines, maintained cleanliness, and water to wash your hands with! This simple amenity is missing in the USA!! The port a potties in the USA are a nightmare.

We then retired into our hotel rooms by 9:30 PM and ordered pizza to the room. I had promised a steak dinner to my son and had a restaurant chosen in Darling Harbor but we were exhausted on our first day which was enjoyable and our hearts full of joy!

Don’t miss the cappuccino from the road side cafes. Wasn’t disappointed even though I am a cappuccino snob and connoisseur.

Day 2 - Sydney

We started our day with a sumptuous breakfast at the Guylians in the rocks area. The hot chocolate is highly recommended. Recommend sharing because of large portion size.

From the menu, I loved their Belgian waffle, omelet, and vegetarian sandwich. We basically loved everything we ordered.

Walked to the Sydney Bridge. We climbed about 200 stairs to get to the lookout. I captured some great views of the city on the Pyron lookout. I admired the architecture of the time. It is good place to take some pictures. The walk to the bridge was enjoyable as well.

We then took a ferry from Circular Quay to the Manly beach. There were beautiful waters and sand with no sea weed. The water was too cold for us to swim, but we walked and relaxed on the beach. Kids can take surfing lessons, but we were not prepared or interested in that.

Gelatissimo ice cream should not be missed at the beach!

For lunch there were plenty of options, my favorite was fishbowl because it was healthy and yummy. Fish and chips were the staple of the area but not my favorite.

Aporto burgers and bowls had good salads as well.

After a day at the beach, we headed back to the hotel to freshen up.

We then went to dinner at the Sydney Show boat. The show and entertainment was not kid friendly, so our kids were out of place. However, it was tastefully done for the adult audience.

The food was average. We had a package for unlimited beverages which was nice.

The atmosphere and vibe at the boat was nice. Everyone was there to have a good time. It was a great opportunity to capture the views of the Sydney harbor, take pictures.

It was a three hour cruise, and we retired to bed after that.

If I had the energy, I would have gone to the bar at the hotel. It was a great bar, but our days were packed so we couldn’t.

Day 3 - Cairns

We reached Cairns and checked into the Hilton. It’s right on the water and the ocean view room was worth the extra cost. The backdrop of the mountains and water makes for a peaceful view. As you exit the hotel, you can walk by the water and there are multiple restaurants to choose from. The weather was an added plus. Some drizzle but pleasant.

Walked to the lagoon. It’s a great place for the kids to be silly. We played for a few hours and moved on to something else. Aquarium is reputed and recommended but we have seen a lot of aquariums over the years and didn’t care for another one.

Lunch options are plentiful, went to Dundee for lunch. Kangaroo and Crocodile satay piqued my kids’ interest. The penang curry was amazing.

After relaxing post lunch, we hung out at the hotel and enjoyed the views of the water, the overcast sky, birds chirping, tropical climate at its best. The hotel had a covered canopy in the outside patio where we could hear the rain drops hitting the roof, birds chirping, while we lounged on the sofa sets.

After some relaxation, we walked to the night markets. There was a place that cooks skewers with meat of your choice. We had a few samplers which was fun. We enjoyed authentic Thai food for dinner followed by a foot and leg massage.

We then retired for the night after watching some TV since we had an early morning planned for the day after.

Day 4 - Cairns

Started early after grabbing breakfast at the Hotel. The breakfast options at the Hilton deserve at least 4/5 stars. Made to order omelets, chicken sausages, and dumplings were my kids’ favorites. Yogurt with toppings and fresh juices were mine.

We boarded Ocean Freedom, our boat tour to see the Great Barrier Reef, at 7:30 AM.

We started the trip at 8 AM. The expanse of the ocean is humbling to say the least. The light emerald waters are all around us, the combination of its beauty and vastness, the backdrop of the mountains, the waves that rock the largest of the boats is all an unforgettable experience. Looking forward eagerly to reach the reefs so we could actually witness and see this natural wonder first hand.

The ride to the reef was rocky. A lot of motion sickness in the catamaran. Once there however - the views and the experience of seeing this natural wonder made it all worthwhile. Scuba diving to see the reefs up close was memorable. I can not however sugar coat the sea sickness. We spent most of the day sick and nauseated which could have been avoided had I remembered to carry some medication.

We were back at the shore by 5 pm which left us enough time to freshen up and head to downtown. We enjoyed a walk by the water. The Hemingway's brewery is located right on the water. You can grab a beer and enjoy the views at the same time.

We retired to bed early by 9 PM.

Day 5 - Cairns

We started off with a light breakfast at the hotel.

The tour to the rainforest is a full day commitment. I will warn you that this is made out to be better than it is. We did see the tall trees competing for sunlight, different types of flora, buttress roots of the trees, mangrove trees, a Gorge that we could swim in, and it made for a busy day.

We did not spot any crocodiles during our river cruise. The lunch and the Daintree ice cream did not disappoint.

The ice cream is locally sourced from the fruits grown in that orchard. We had 4 flavors which were coconut, passion fruit, yellow sapote, and wattle seed. The flavors were authentic and fresh, and we loved all 4.

Upon return to Cairns downtown- we dined at Soy Kitchen, which was Japanese cuisine. There were plenty of vegetarian options, and we liked it although my kids felt the flavors were too strong for their taste buds.

Day 6 - Cairns/Brisbane

We started the day late since we had no trips planned for the day. We started with a hearty breakfast at the hotel. We then went to the Reef Hotel Casino to have some pictures taken with a Koala. My kids loved holding a Koala

We then walked to downtown to buy souvenirs. Played a game of ping pong at the hotel and headed to the airport. We landed around 4 pm. The flight was enjoyable.

We rented a car and drove directly to Coombabah. We saw kangaroos in their natural habitat. We were ecstatic. Some local people who were informative and helpful encouraged my kids to go within 20 meters.

We then checked into a hotel and that was awful. We had booked, what we thought was a Boutique hotel, Voco. The sheets were dirty, the rooms were dingy, and we walked out of there. Getting a refund was an unpleasant experience, but we accomplished it after a few phone calls.

We then booked the Hilton at the last minute, and that lived up to the Hilton standard. It was Christmas Eve, and the kids were upset. To salvage the day, we went out and grabbed some gelato for the kids, and we went to bed happy:)

Day 7 - Gold Coast

We started the day late. It was Christmas morning, the kids wanted to start the day with fun at the pool, and we complied. After that we went to the beach post brunch. Brunch was mediocre and disappointing Indian food at Curry Express. We were craving Indian food after a week outside home, so we were delighted despite the poor quality.

The Surfer's Paradise beach was busy, but it was a lot of fun. Weather was perfectas it was 20-25 C and there was a pleasant breeze. After a few hours at the beach, we ate another Gelato, did some shopping. On the way, we grabbed lunch. This time, Sushi for the kids and Nepali cuisine for ourselves.

Surfers Paradise is truly a vacationers’ paradise. Shopping, restaurants, hotels, pubs, and beaches all within a couple miles. It was simply perfect for staying.

In the evening, we drove back to Coombabah since we hadn’t seen enough Kangaroos just yet! There were hundreds in the grassland.

We then drove to Broad beach and enjoyed the sunset there. We had dinner at Guzman and Gomez, which was half decent Mexican food.

We then changed into our coordinated PJs for a photo shoot. Our holiday Christmas photo shoot was in a hotel this time:) Thankfully, the hotel had made arrangements for that. We were off to bed right after that.

Day 8 - Gold Coast/Byron Bay

When we woke up, we were walking to the sky deck, and we had some take away breakfast and drove to the adventure park, Dreamworld.

After half a day at Dreamworld, we came to the water park, Whitewater world.

Needless to say, this is a kids’ paradise .

After an exciting day for the kids, we started our road trip to Sydney. We drove to Byron Bay, checked in to the hotel, and had dinner at Zaza kebabs, which was delicious. The fish burger and the kebab burger are recommended.

Ice cream at the Dolce Mama was an icing on the cake:)

Day 9 - Byron Bay/Coffs Harbor/Port Macquarie/Sydney

We woke up early so we could watch the sunrise at the Byron Bay lighthouse. We reached there at 5:30 AM and couldn’t find parking! The sunrise was an outlandish experience. After watching the sunrise and taking a walk at the beach, we headed back to hotel and got ready. We then departed for our next destination, Coffs Harbor, a quaint little town where we stopped for breakfast and coffee.

Then we went to Port Macquarie, and the Koala hospital. Kids learned a lot about the koalas from the experts.

We bought some mangoes and fruits for the way. Australian mangoes are way tastier than American mangoes:) Their croissants and croissant sandwiches were amazing as well.

We then drove to Sydney, which made for a total of 8 hours of driving that day. We were exhausted and crashed as soon as we checked into the hotel. Dinner was a modest sandwich that we had purchased earlier in the day.

Day 10 - Sydney

We started the day late at 9 AM. We went to the Blue mountains. The 3 Sisters was a sight worth capturing. The Wentworth Falls were nothing to write home about. The look outs make for a good hike.

Dinner was at a small Asian restaurant in Kensington. The Laksa, fried rice, and the noodles were all good. Ginger duck had a rather pungent ginger flavor. Personally, the Laksa was the best.

Day 11 - Sydney

This was our day to explore the interiors of Sydney. Sydney didn’t disappoint us. We started with Bondi beach, compared to all the other beaches, it was nothing special. It does however have a historical significance.

We then went to downtown near Chinatown. There are multiple indoor malls there as well as restaurants.

We ate at an Indonesian restaurant named Shalom. The curry was the best!

Lastly, we explored the World Square. It had an amazing atmosphere and the food in the lower level was spectacular! We ate dinner in downtown and came back to the hotel to get ready for our fligh out the next day!