Windy Australia, Melbourne (Day 1)

Apr 30 - May 7

 (Day 1)

Spring in Australia at this time.

Temperature : around 15-20 degree

My temperature : feels like 12 with endless strong winds in Melbourne

We have been waiting and all excited because it feels like back to school again!
It was totally difficult to gather for a dinner nowadays. A trip together sounds like a target crossing mountains to obtain - trust me!




We have to take every possible photo as we do not know when this scene will repeat again.
A shot at the waiting check in area before we dozed in plane.


Our trip with the new member, Miss Enru (middle).
She is more excited than all of us as it is her first overseas trip!


We are all happy indeed we had been talking & planning for this for 9 months.


EMIRATES - where we got a ok promotion at about S$800 nett per adult. Child fare was like S$500+.

We were all surprised by Emirates's good service and consideration especially with little things like information stickers to the crew.


We all love this little in-bulit LED stars when they switch off the main lightings in the plane.


Never know it could look so beautiful in plane. I am falling asleep easily...

To be fair, we are tasked with different scopes each.

My scope for the group trip includes pre-trip arrangements like ticket bookings, visa arrangements, personal information gathering and internet flight check-in. I also tried to log in our preferences for in-flight meals.
As most of us requested NO beef, there was this one thing we were taken back when we were served as priority but given Indian meal!! :(

You won't expect the kiddo wanna eat Hindu meal ya?

Guess it was my fault so I tried to explain we didn't know no beef = hindu meal and asked hope to have just the normal in flight meals. They revert that they could only serve us the normal ones only if there is leftover after they done their first round of serving.

Luckily.....we got the 'normal' ones!
I am blessed with a normal chicken spaghetti..... YEAH My meal! Taste was ok so so but I should be thankful haha


After travelling through the night....the lovely daybreak greeted us.

Victoria! Where we are heading..

Our very first meal in Australia, Melbourne (Tullermarie) Airport.


We totally looking sleepy! Don't we?


After a good 30 minutes of queuing and registration at THIRTY, we finally been led to a carpark 3 minutes walk from the airport to pick up our rented vehicle.

Took longer time as we registered for 4 drivers.

I have no preference for Kia but well it was on promotion and  importantly its huge enough to accomodate us all + our lugguages.

KIA Grand Carnival - A$440 for 3 days 2 nights (choose to return in different location)



It was really spacious... glad it will be our 'home' on the road for the next few days.


Introducing our first driver, Fang....she has the best driving experience among us including US and Australia so well she is the best to start off our journey!


Oh I gotta intro the Navigator, Gwee too... Although she is our only Vegetarian friend, her best sense of direction is best among us and the 2nd best driver.


Err the little pink dot, Enru has gotta feel so safe with us all experienced aunties ahhaa..




We do what we do best.... sleeping passengers hahaha


Starting off. Mood was even better with the the car so neat, clean and smelling good.


Weather was really welcoming and giving us this smooth ride and navigation.


After about an hour's drive, we stopped over at.....this small COLAC town which is on the way.
Where we did lunch and some marketing here for our dinner tonight or the next few nights.


Err it is quite a sleepy town with few people walking around and nothing much to walk or shop about


Pace started to slow down in Australia from this moment...


Spotted this interesting alley while finding food.
And yes there seems to be a nice peaceful cafe here.


Indeed a neat cafe called Wonderfood.


Everyone agreed on this as it seemed like a really nice place for our very first lunch in Australia.
Lovely Alfresco corner isn't it?
In such cool weather...I don't mind.






Love the brick house indoor too.


Ordering...


My first lunch was really really healthy - chicken and salad sandwich + apple juice.

Just an illustration - driving from Melbourne to our farm area (if I am not wrong haha)

Weather continues to be friendly and really nice.

After about 3+hours' drive, we finally ARRIVED AT



Above Macka's front office cum their home.
Below is a lodge 3 - you could choose to park your car right infront of your lodge


As Macka is not a big farm, they emphasis on small group to interact with the family as well as all the animals for upclose and personal touch. So you feel like just one of the farm members and could enjoy and relax fully.

On the first day we arrived, so happen Mrs Macka who took in our booking was not in due to some emergency matter to settle out of the farm.

At first we were puzzled trying to look around for SOME ONE in the farm and front office. We decided to call after about 10 mins wait. Mrs Macka was aware of our arrival of course as we had place deposit and she instructed us to just go into our booked lodge 2 facing the other side.

The room had been cleaned and door was not locked for us.

You know who greeted us when our car pulled into the farm??

The 2 cutie hyper Jack Russells, Andy and Jack dashed out when they saw our car came in! They were so clever just like guarding the farm when their own owners were out.


Say hi to Andy....the one with more white fur, less patches and who has ball obsession.. hhaaa


He is always spotted with his ball ball...so damn cute right? His dirty ball is his precious....at times he will tease you by pushing it to you to throw for him.




Welcome to our lodge 2!

There are cats around too but don't let them sneak into the lodge.




We just wow when we came into it. Thats what we were looking for - back to basic. Although it looking simply basic, I love my imagination spending Spring days in a house made of chunky brick and woods feel really great.

I love love love it! I really appreciate such a place thanks to the life spent in tiny unit in tiny city through sunny days



The small gathering area or the hall area.

Probably woody deco made me feel relax and in place....The bedroom was really a beauty to me!
But to me frank, after few days


The balcony/outdoor area in our lodge.

The lovely outdoor are just right outside our lodge!
The little red wood bits on ground created the Autumn feel..


After settled down with our lugguges, we were too excited and went walk around without any guide.

Baa Baa white sheep... Have you any wool?

This is sorta Lama something under camel family....I still can't remember what exactly he is...



My little ponies

Billy the goat?

Piggy babe...

No fail of Jack and Andy following us around with interest and hoping we respond to them..


Night falls as early as 5+pm for during Spring.
Our first dinner looked pathetic?
We were enjoying alot during such cold weather with our instant noodles brought from SIN. Of course it was through some hardship as one of us got thorough check through the luggages.
We bought a lot of hams from the local supermarket and it was yummy! The soupy pot is instant Macaroni from the supermart too.

Did I mention we have a vegetarian friend too so we hve to cook some vegetables.


Can't wait to help ourselves to the food.


The heart-shaped chicken fillet one of us bought in the supermarket. Interesting ya.
It was raw so we have to stir fried it.


And finally everything went to the dinner table.

All cleaned up and ready to eat and sleep!


I was dead tired and surprisingly I was the earliest to go into coma after we sit down and chat awhile.
We ended this night earlier as we just arrived the first night.

The next few days were more fun of course with driving around and city tour.

Before I forget and if you are keen in Macka's farm:

MACKA'S FARM
http://www.mackasfarm.com.au/
2310 Princetown Rd,
PRINCETOWN VIC 3629
phone (61) 03 55 988 261
email: holidays@mackasfarm.com.au

(From Melbourne Airport take Western Ring Road to Princes Freeway)
via Princes Hwy 2 1/2 hrs.
Take Hwy 1 to Geelong and continue to Colac.
Follow the signs to SIMPSON according to the following details.
Continue 7 km past the Colac derestriction sign.
Turn left off the Princes Hwy. Large sign to SIMPSON.
Travel 7km again and turn right at the Irrewillipe Footy Ground.
Continue to the end of the road. (A T intersection)
Turn left toward SIMPSON. You are now on our road and still 20mins.away.
You will see the Ocean for almost 3 km before you reach us.
We are on the right just 4km north of the Great Ocean Road