Melbourne Celebrates Christmas!

Christmas is celebrated in a lot of different ways around the world. This year I decided to check out some of these in Melbourne to share them with you.

Melbourne - lights, camera, action! (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

In Melbourne, light plays a big part - to be more specific, light projections onto landmark buildings in the city and other light displays.

Melbourne Town Hall under light projection (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Closer view of Melbourne Town Hall under light projection (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Victoria State Library under light projection (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

Toy soldier drummer boy in Bourke Street Mall at night (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Around Federation Square in the city (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

In the suburbs, many people like to decorate their homes with all kinds of light displays. Some homes even synchronise their light displays with music. Many people turn up to see these decorations. Common themes you can see are usually associated with Santa or the Nativity.

One very famous street is 'The Boulevard'. Here one side of the street is closed off for pedestrian use and only one lane of the two lanes road is used by cars. Thousands of people arrive from far and wide to view the decorations in this street. This is such a busy event that there are even pedestrian crossing supervisors directing traffic. There are food trucks in a nearby field as well as free water refill stations and porta-loos for the public. There are also paramedics on standby in case of medical emergencies.

Photos from The Boulevard  (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

From the grand to the sublime - The Boulevard (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Another street that is like a scaled down version is Empress Street. There is much less traffic here but you should still park your car and walk down the street to enjoy the displays. Every year there are published lists of where you can see Christmas lights decorated homes in the suburbs.

Some large churches also put on special performances that can attract thousands of people. Churches usually hold special Christmas services as well during this time on Christmas Eve and or Christmas Day.

Mary and Joseph arrive at the stable (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Shepherds in the field, Roman soldiers, people in the market, wise women looking for Jesus (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)  

Crossway Baptist Church - The Christmas Story cast and crew with camels
(Photo copyright Crossway Baptist Church) 

Photos with Santa and letters to Santa are also very popular at shopping centres. Chadstone Shopping Centre had a really good display of Santa's workshop where parents could walk through and take photos with Santa and his reindeer.

Santa's reindeer says Hello (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Welcome to Santa's workshop (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

The Christmas theme decorations is pretty much every where - from retail premises, offices to the city's street.

Bourke Street Mall by day - floral displays to mach the season
(Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

Myer in Bourke Street Mall in the city has an iconic Christmas Window display. Melbourne children often associate Christmas with a visit to this display. Each year, a different theme is chosen. This year it was based on May Gibb's gumnut people.

May Gibb's gumnut babies in Myer's Bourke Street Mall Christmas Window display
(Photo copyright Maria Ngo)  

Gumnut babies go adventuring
(Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Another special thing that happens in Melbourne is the Carols by Candlelight service. This happens on Christmas Eve at 8 pm. It is held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in the open in Kings Domain Gardens. Families arrive early for a picnic before the performance by celebrities. I have to confess that I've never attended it live but only watched it on TV as live telecast or repeat on Christmas Day.

The Road to Bethlehem is another very popular outdoor interactive theatrical performance where thousands participate in each year.

So if you are ever in Melbourne in the lead up to Christmas, there will be plenty to see and do here for sure. How does your city celebrate Christmas? How does your family do it?

Christmas in 'The Boulevard' - Melbourne

Who doesn't love Christmas right? With all its lights, festivity and spirit of goodwill, fun, laughter and gift giving.

In a demonstration of all the above, there is no better place to view this than in a well-known street in Melbourne called The Boulevard in Ivanhoe East.

Visit of the Magi    Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Here for several weeks a year leading into Christmas, queues of cars line up from all directions to enter this famous street that tops every list of Christmas lights in Melbourne list. One side of this street is closed to traffic and the other lane is kept for pedestrian use. It felt rather odd to be walking on the street in such fashion though.

There were even pedestrian crossing supervisors to direct traffic and there are food vans and paramedics on hand. Porta-loos (for able bodied and wheelchair users) and free water were also sighted at the nearby field.

A well organised event   Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

There were many decorative themes that people have chosen. Some remind me of Doctor Who episodes with almost life size toy soldiers, drummer boys and wooden toys. Then there were those that made me think of Las Vegas with its grand entrances,, sumptuous hotels and well proportioned casinos.

You're welcome here   Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

There were those who choose more simple decorations with themselves sitting in the living room watching TV and adding to the Christmas spirit in the street and neighbourhood - what could be more sublime than a person nonchalantly watching TV in their living room with a Christmas tree in the background seemingly oblivious to the thousands upon thousands of pairs of eyes gawking at them in their living room carrying on with their life as normal.

There was even one home that reminded me of a wedding - it was all done up in white - including the figures in their garden - alas these were hidden behind a hedge which I didn't feel like intruding upon because they were having a party in their front yard. 

Bright and white Photo copyright Maria Ngo

Another house had us bursting out singing "It's a small world after all." Once you see it you'll know why it had that effect on us. 

It's a small world   Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

One house in particular had a Homer Simpson figure singing Christmas songs and calling out "Doh!" in the driveway.

There were the usual Santa in the chimney decoration, Santa with his troupe of reindeers, Santa on a motorbike and Santa driving a bulldozer - how quaint but also how Australian with our huge acreage of farmland necessitating heavy farm machinery to get the job done.

There were also many homes that had chosen to make the nativity scene their main decorative theme. These came in various sizes and construction material. There were cut out figures and there were 3D figurines. There was one where Mary was holding baby Jesus in her arms which was about life size and appeared to be made of some plant material. 

Each with a story to tell and their own unique style   Photo copyright Maria Ngo

However people chose to decorate their homes, whether simply with strings of lights or with figures of some sort or other, they added to the joy and glee of young and old alike as they paraded down the street marvelling and oohing and aahhing at each one.

It is only with the generous heart and spirit and cooperation of all the households in this street that this event is possible each year - you will find it extremely hard if not impossible to get out of your driveway come 7.30PM and this lasts until at least 11:30PM each night during this period if you lived along this street.

Saint Nicholas giving gifts   Photo copyright Maria Ngo

Upon reflecting on our recent visit to this place, while it was true that some houses stood out and went all out to make theirs a grand decorative effect, even the smaller more subtle decorations along the way contributed and added to the atmosphere and the experience of The Boulevard. And this is what living in community means - each playing their part, whether big or small, each contributing to the greater picture, the greater good and a flourishing community. 

Crocs on the Daintree River

When you visit far north Queensland there are a few things you just can't miss - the reefs, the rainforest and crocodiles - that's if you especially like nature. We were based in Port Douglas on a recent holiday and I just had to tick crocodiles off my list.

Never smile at a crocodile?  
(Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

We had seen the flags advertising Bruce Belcher's Daintree River Cruises on our way to the Daintree and decided to check it out.

We found out that they ran 7 one hour tours daily. Each tour comes with complimentary tea or coffee that you can help yourself to before or after your tour. You can also pre-book a properly baked (in the oven, none of that microwaved stuff) sausage roll or pie which is done to perfection, before your tour so that it is ready for you upon your return. They also have a very well stocked fridge of cold drinks. The lunch tour comes with a pie or sausage roll and a cold drink.

Free coffee and a spot for lunch 

(Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

There is a very attractive eclectic and colourful dining/waiting area which is indoors. There is even an old disused railway carriage here which will no doubt prove a winner with the little children. There is a separate outdoor area where you can also hang out. And yes, there are toilet facilities here which did not miss the keen decorator's attention.

It is an altogether well run family enterprise with knowledgeable passionate guides who love what they do and care about the Daintree River ecosystem and the crocodiles that live there.

We saw a few tree snakes and several large crocodiles who seemed rather unperturbed by how close the boats got to them. We learnt a fair bit about the plant life along the river as well. Now I know why there are these yellow leaves that seem so out of place among the lush green trees and also why some sea hibiscuses are yellow and some are red.

Are mangrove trees all the same? 
(Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

The season, time of day and the tides, can affect what bird-life you might see on your tour. We didn't see that many birds on our trip but it didn't matter too much because we got to see the main attraction. All in all, the hour passed all too quickly and we only made occasional use of the binoculars that they provided.

Port Douglas to River Cruise 

Bruce Belcher's Daintree River Cruise is about a 40 minute drive from Port Douglas assuming all goes smoothly - it took us over an hour to get there on a different day though due to detours and other delays.

Red and Yellow 
(Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

So if you are visiting the area and want to tick crocs off your list and learn a bit about the river ecosystem at the same time and have beautifully heated up pie, this award winning enterprise would be my recommendation.

I just met Cass the Cassowary and a Tree Kangaroo!

Have you ever seen a Cassowary? It is a very unique bird that stands eye to eye with a grown man and bears a huge bulbous horn/helmet (casque) on its head.

Southern Cassowary and blue plum Photo copyright Maria Ngo

It can grow up to 200 cm tall. It has a bright blue neck with red wattles on it. Its large body resembles that of an emu (sort of) and it has gigantic sturdy claws on its feet. It has tough bristle-like feathers - which it needs to protect it when it bashes its way through the thick prickly undergrowth of Queensland's rainforests. 

The word ‘cassowary’ name comes from two Papua New Guinean words meaning horned (Kasu) head (Weri).

They can be found in the dense rainforests of Papua New Guinea, parts of Indonesia and the north eastern part of Australia. They tend to be solitary animals and stay in pretty much the same area all year round. 

They eat mostly fruit that fall to the ground as well as other fungi and even snails and small dead mammals. They can eat the poisonous blue cassowary plum which would be quite deadly to humans. It eats it whole and then deposits the large seed with its excrement some distance away – it plays a very important role in the dispersion of the seeds of the blue plum. 

The cassowary can be aggressive if threatened in any way. The breeding season is from June to October. The species is listed as endangered.

If you want to see a Southern Cassowary up close, you can visit Cass who lives in the Port Douglas Wildlife Habitat.

When we were in Port Douglas, we bought multi-visit passes to the centre. We found the tours, feeding sessions as well as educational talks conducted by knowledgeable and passionate keepers most enjoyable and informative.

Tree kangaroo perched in the branches Photo copyright Maria Ngo

Another animal that captured my fancy at the Wildlife Habitat was Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo. It is listed as near threatened in Queensland.

The tree kangaroo is a folivore (i.e. leaf eater) but also feeds on fruit. They are nocturnal and tend to sleep hunched in tree canopies in the day time. They have very specially designed fur that point outwards from the middle of their back which allows water to run off their fur. This is very useful when you live in the rain forest which gets a lot of rain (!). 

They are called tree kangaroos because they actually do climb trees! They can go forwards and reverse down as well. They are also quite capable of jumping from a height. They have been observed to jump down 15 metres. 

They tend to be solitary animals and are territorial. Habitat loss as well as falling prey as road kills are threats to their survival.

We returned on two separate occasions to view the animals at different times of the day – this was a bonus as we were able to see the tree kangaroo when it was wide awake and bounding around and also when it was sleeping.

Emu, Tree Kangaroo and Estuarine Crocodile Photo copyright Maria Ngo

There is a large walk through aviary which houses a variety of birds that often wander across your path. You can tell that they are very used to humans visiting them in their home. You can meet many birds, big and small ones, up close here.

More birdsPhoto copyright Maria Ngo

There are other enclosures for mammals and reptiles. The space is divided into different themes: woodland, wetlands, rainforest, savannah and predator plank. You’ve guessed it, it’s Queensland, and the last is the crocodile enclosure. You can walk above the estuarine crocodiles on a plank walkway and get a good view of them.

Kangaroos and more kangaroos Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

And if kangaroos big and small, actively seeking for food, or lounging in the shade, posing for a photo, is your marsupial of fascination, you will be quite the happy camper here.

Cheeky and playful birds Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

So if you want to encounter our Australian icons up close, this is a good place to see them. 

References

Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo. Department of Environment and Science. (https://environment.des.qld.gov.au/wildlife/animals/a-z/lumholtzs-treekangaroo) Accessed: 20.10.2019.

‘Southern Cassowary’ in Australian Museum. (https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/birds/southern-cassowary/) Accessed: 20.10.2019.

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Toyah Towers, Balancing Rocks - not your usual tourist stop - near Cairns

We were travelling between Port Douglas and Cairns when we spotted stacks and stacks of rock piles on the beach near the road. 

Balancing rocks near Cairns (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Needless to say, we were intrigued. We had not read anything about this unusual spot in our research of the area. 

So on the last day of our stay in Port Douglas we made it a point to stop there. Parking was very very limited in the area as it was not an 'official' tourist stop nor lookout spot. It is only possible to stop here when you are travelling from Port Douglas to Cairns as there is only a very very narrow strip of 'parking' on the beach side that you can glide into. (Do not attempt to turn right into this space if you are travelling norhtwards towards Port Douglas - drive exactly 2 km down the road to Wangetti Beach where there is a parking area that you can turn around in.) 

Looks sturdy enough (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)  

As I stood there watching those who had arrived earlier, I noticed that there was such an air of mischievous delight as old and young tried their hand at this simple act of stacking up stones in this public space. It felt like a stolen pleasure. It drew out the creative spark in people as they scrounged around looking for appropriate sized stones and rocks to create their 'sculpture' - their piece of art. 

Concentrating and creating (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)  

It was as if we were saying with that simple act, "We were here". We had left our mark. Whether it lasted just a day or two, or weeks or months, it didn't matter. Our participation was contributing to the pleasure we were giving others as they too came to build their memorial. It was a kind of connection with nature and with those coming after us, and those before us. 

It was collaboration at its best. It was community art. Each piece contributing to making a larger whole. It was very satisfying. 

Communal effort (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Everyone respected the other's 'master pieces' - no matter how sturdy or flimsy they were, we took care not to bump into them or topple them over. 

The act of building the sculpture-memorial was, might I say, rather zen. It was a task that couldn't be hurried. It physically made me slow down as I looked around for my piece of rock that was the appropriate size for the task - first a stable base and then smaller ones on top. 

Each one a work of art 
(Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

I attempted a couple before we had to leave. I left rather reluctantly. This was the kind of thing I could easily have spent more time here - to create, to capture the moment digitally, and to connect. 

A true balancing act. Does it look like a sea-lion? 
(Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Cairns to Port Douglas - getting there

G'day! Welcome to Australia. Welcome in particular to tropical Far North Queensland.

Where shall we go to next?Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

This post will cover a few basic things like driving, shuttle buses and accommodation to help you get on your feet in the Cairns-Port Douglas region so that you can be off more quickly to explore and experience all that the region has to offer.

Cairns - driving 

Cairns is the main airport serving this northern region of Queensland. From Brisbane, Cairns is about 1,700 km by car or 3 hours 20 minutes by air. Port Douglas is another hour and a bit north of Cairns.


Cairns is the 16th largest city of Australia with a population of only 140,000 people.

The airport is just 6 km from the city centre.

Driving is quite straight forward - remember to drive on the left 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

If you plan to rent a car, there are a number of car rental companies to choose from and they provide a shuttle to pick you up from the airport to the rental premises. It is advisable to have an operational phone to communicate with them - especially if you encounter flight delays as was our case.

We hired our car from East Coast Car Rentals and we found them accommodating and easy to deal with in spite of our flight being changed/delayed three times. Our pick up from the airport to the car rental premises was smooth and hassle free and the instructions for pick up clear. The car we got was very clean and well maintained. All the cars in the parking lot I saw were also spick and span.

Driving around Cairns is very simple and straightforward. There are no complicated freeways to navigate at all unlike cities like Melbourne, Sydney and even Perth.

Sugarcane plantation on the left 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

If you are travelling from overseas, you might be interested to read my post about driving in Australia.

Cairns to Port Douglas 

Port Douglas is a popular destination and is just an hour and a quarter from Cairns without stops. There are some nice views along the way and windy stretches so I would suggest not rushing it.

In Port Douglas 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

The stops are all on the beach side. It is possible for you to do a right turn into some of these beach side stops but many of these lookouts are just narrow strips with limited parking so it is best to approach these when you are travelling southward.

Just look at that view! 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

We did make quite a few stops on our southward journey and found some really unexpectedly stunning beaches - some with flat stretches of sand backed by beautiful coconut palm trees and others with rainforest and mangrove trees. There were others that were covered with smooth round stones like those you might find in rivers. Then there were those that were made of rougher rocky platforms. We also encountered some with large rocks that looked really smooth and soft to the feel.

While these beaches might be tempting, the threat of estuarine crocodiles near river mouths is quite real. Safe swimming zones are patrolled and netted - to keep out crocodiles and jelly fish.

Port Douglas sunset 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Shuttle bus

If you're not picking up a car in Cairns but still want to get to Port Douglas, there are shuttle buses that operate between the airport and Port Douglas. They start at the AUD$35/person mark up to around AUD$50/person at the time of writing. There are quite a number of operators to choose from. You can book these on-line quite easily. Some advise booking at least 24 hours in advance. Most are able to drop you off at your accommodation as Port Douglas isn't that big. The cheapest shuttle is the backpacker shuttle but they only drop off and pick up at designated hostels on a fixed route.

Colourful buildings in Port Douglas Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Accommodation 

There is quite a wide range of accommodation styles in Cairns and Port Douglas. You can choose from resorts style hotels, youth hostels and bed and breakfast type places.

Our stay at the Ramada Resort Port Douglas was very comfortable. They had free WiFi in the lobby.

Rainforest theme swimming pool area 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

So there you have it, driving in this part of Australia is straight forward and simple. Just remember to keep left when driving.

Chauffer driven 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Australia - A driving holiday - what you need to know about driving in Australia

G'day mate! Welcome to Australia - the Land Down Under, the Great Southland.

Melbourne city - mid left is Flinders Street Train Station; steepled building is St Paul's Cathedral
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

So, you've decided to visit Australia and now you've got a ton of questions. For instance, what's the best way to explore and experience this wonderfully diverse and vast island continent? If you intend to stay in the CBD (central business district) of the capital cities, you might find that public transport might be quite sufficient. But, if you want to get out of the city centre to see the sights a little further out, coach tours might be your go.

Flinders Street Train Station 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

However, if you want to really explore and take things at a slower pace, there's nothing quite like hopping into a car and feeling the breeze in your hair.

So, if you intend to do a bit of driving in Australia, I've written this post just for you.

Open country road 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

I've also included other helpful information including travelling by air, weather apps, credit cards, mobile phone SIM cards, navigation tools and accommodation in this post.

Driving in Australia - in the city 

Driving in the city with trams 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Here are some things you need to know if you plan to drive.

1. We drive on the left hand side of the road in Australia.

Drive on the left 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

If you are accustomed to driving on the opposite side of the road, this video (Giving way at intersections) will give you a helpful visual for what to do at intersections.

2. You need to give way to pedestrians at zebra crossings. (Australians are on the whole very law abiding citizens and are accustomed to use pedestrian crossings. This is for the safety of all concerned - pedestrians as well as drivers. Jay walking - crossing roads wherever one likes - is highly discouraged in Australia.)

Use the pedestrian crossing
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

3. If you are turning into a lane in which a pedestrian is about to cross the road, you have to give way to the pedestrian. However, this is not the case at roundabouts.

4. There are trams that operate in Melbourne city. This has given rise to what we call a Hook Turn which operates in the CBD. Here's a video produced by the VicRoads to explain how to navigate it: Performing a Hook Turn. 

Bike riders also observe the Hook Turn rules.

Melbourne is the only city with its peculiar hook turn rule. IF you wish to avoid a hook turn altogether, you can always chuck a left in the next street and follow that with two more left turns to land you where you would originally want to have made that right hook turn.

Stop behind trams 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

5. There are also certain things to be aware of when you are driving with trams. Driving with Trams, another video produced by VicRoads explains the important things you need to know.

Trams on Bourke Street Mall 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

6. We also have particular road rules regarding driving with buses which might be different to your city of origin. Here's a useful video that VicRoads has produced called Driving with Buses. 

7. Australians are considerate of cyclists who share the road. Here are two helpful videos about it. This is the first video. This is the second one.

Cars, bicycles and motorbikes in the city
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

8. What about merging onto the freeway and you encounter a ramp signal? Here's a helpful video.

9. We also have rules about merging safely. Here's a useful video to watch.

10. U-turns. Do you know what our rules are? Here's a video on just that.

11. Roundabouts. Do you know who goes first? Here are two helpful videos. The second one is by the RACV.

Thankfully, there are no four-way stop signs unlike in certain parts of the US. So a stop sign is simply that. You stop and give way to the main road that you are approaching.

12. Side roads that are not marked with speed limits are assumed to be 50 km/hr in metro Victoria. I believe WA has also followed suit in that rule.

13. Roads in Victoria with designated school zones require traffic to drop to a maximum speed of 40 km/hr in the morning and usually from 2.30 pm to 4 pm in the afternoon which is considered peak school pick up time. These zones are clearly marked and signed.

14. It is illegal to do a U-turn across a solid white line in the centre of the road in Victoria. You can cross it to turn into a street however, but not do a U-turn.

15. You cannot cross or overtake on a double white line. You may only overtake on highways/freeways where you see a broken white line on your side of the road - and only if there is no oncoming traffic and it is clear.

16. If you are parking your car on a road, make sure that you are not too close to a solid white line in the middle of the road. You need to allow a clearance of at least 3 m from your car to allow garbage trucks, trams, buses and emergency vehicles especially to pass safely and easily.

Melbourne tram on Swanston Street
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

17. You might not be aware when driving in Melbourne city centre that Swanston Street and Bourke Street Mall are no-go zones for private cars. DO NOT under any circumstances drive here. Only authorised vehicles are allowed here.

Swanston Street - trams and bicycles only
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

18. Be sure to use your indicators. And give plenty of warning that you are about to change lanes. Sudden lane changes that cause drivers to brake abruptly would have cost you dearly in our driving exams because it is not considerate nor safe driving behaviour.

19. Remember also that the left lane is the slow lane on multi-lane highways if you are going lower than the speed limit. Where the driving speed is 70 km/hr or above, it is expected that you will be driving no more than 10 km/hr below that. And definitely NOT above the posted speed limit. Victoria has a zero tolerance policy. And that's why I find the cruise control so indispensable when driving.

20. Last but not least. Wear your seatbelt and don't touch your phone. If you do, it can be a very costly act. And of course, if you intend to drink any alcoholic beverages, just be aware that we do conduct random breath testing.

If you want to watch some of those videos produced by VicRoads in Mandarin, Arabic, Dari and Vietnamese. You can find these on the VicRoads channel on YouTube.

Granted, those links are Victoria centric. However, I believe these will provide a good launch pad for your research to stay safe while driving in Australia.

Driving in Australia - in the country 

Road classification 

In Australia, motorways and freeways mean pretty much the same thing. They are restricted access multi-lanes roads with higher speed limits (from 80 km/hr upwards to 130 km/hr). The most common speeds on freeways are 100 or 110 km/hour. Motorways and Freeways do not have roundabouts or traffic lights. Fences and barriers are often provided to prevent animals from entering them.

Australian speed limit sign 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

Highways are another major public road and is the next grade down from freeways/motorways in Australia. These do not have fences to prevent stock from entering them. Speed on these can vary from 70 km/hr upward. These can be multi-lanes.

Well graded roads 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

If you are curious about the numbering system of our highways, Wikipedia is a good source of information.

It also offers a good explanation of the grades of roads you are likely to encounter in the country:

"In the alphanumeric systems, a letter denoting the route's construction standard and function is prefixed to the route number, creating an alphanumeric route designation. One of four letters may be used:

• "M" routes are primary traffic routes, called motorways in some states. These are typically dual carriageway, freeway-standard highways, but may also be used for rural roads that are nearly at freeway-standard, or at least are dual carriageways.
• "A" routes are other primary highways, including urban arterials and interstate or interregional single carriageways.
• "B" routes are less significant routes, either as an alternative to an "A" or "M" route, or linking smaller population centres to larger regional centres, but without being a major through-route in the region.These are the major road links in areas without "A" routes.
• "C" routes link smaller settlements and towns to the rest of the major road network.They are used for roads without the significance of an "M", "A", or "B" route, but where numbering would assist navigation." 

Eucalypt lined roads - watch out for kangaroos at dawn and dusk 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

I personally find that if we have time on our side and we are not in a hurry, I enjoy taking the C grade routes as it feels more intimate - the farm fences are sometimes just a stone's throw away from the edge of the road and you are so close to the homes that you can almost see the prints on the curtain. 

Close enough to see the curtains?
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

Wildlife 

Most tourists who visit Australia want to encounter and experience our famed marsupials. It is one thing to meet them in a zoo or spot them in the distance but no driver ever wants to have a close encounter with them. Dawn and dusk are the two times when you are most likely to encounter them as they forage near the edge of roads. Take extra special care driving during those times. Drop to a slower speed if possible.

Gorgeous tree lined country roads 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Taking the scenic route 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Straight and windy (as in full of twists and turns) 

Australia is quite flat, but it would appear that our popular tourist spots are often found in mountainous hilly zones or windy coastal roads. So do allow yourself time to cover the distance safely. Remember, we drive on the left hand side of the road. Pay attention to the suggested speed limits (coloured deep yellow) especially at bends - they have been put there for a reason. It is not unusual to see some that suggest you drop your speed to even 25 km/hr in order to navigate hair-pin bends.

Do observe the road signs and drive safely 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Travelling by air 

At a glance, using thetruesize.com for comparison, Australia's landmass is bigger than the combined landmass of the countries from UK through to Ukraine and from Sweden down to Spain and Greece.

Australia's landmass is also comparable to that of the USA's 48 contiguous states.

So if you are planning to cover both the east and west coast of Australia, you would most probably be taking a domestic plane at one stage or another. The main airlines in Australia are Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar and TigerAir. The latter two are the budget airlines. Virgin is often slightly less expensive than Qantas. From personal experience, the budget airlines are less reliable than the first two.

The budget airlines also do not include meals in their fare but offer refreshments which you can purchase. Be sure to check if your fare includes check-in baggage (and whether it is one or two pieces) when you book  your flight on any airline. The included luggage varies between airlines and is not assumed to be included. Some airlines are also very strict about your carry-on luggage size and weight - don't assume that you will not be checked. This applies especially to budget airlines.

Airport 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

The domestic and international terminals in the major cities here are not right next to each other except for Melbourne. You might have to get on a shuttle bus to get from an international terminal to a domestic one. So if you are transferring from an international flight to a domestic one, do allow sufficient time to clear immigration, collect your bags, get on a shuttle bus and recheck your baggage and get yourself to the appropriate departure gate for your next flight. A shuttle bus trip can take 10 to 15 minutes if all goes smoothly - I've found that traffic on the tarmac can add quite a few minutes to the travel time. So plan accordingly. I once found that a two hour transit time was just barely sufficient for my flight transfer from international to domestic - if the domestic flight had not been delayed I would surely have missed my flight.

If you are taking a budget airline, be prepared to walk on the tarmac in which you will be exposed to the elements - so dress appropriately. It helps to also check the weather forecast ahead of time.

Weather forecast

I've found the AccuWeather app to be quite accurate most of the time - it does have an hourly forecast. But you do need to get the right suburb to get more accurate weather. Melbourne as a city is very widespread.

For weather at the airport in Melbourne, enter 'Tullamarine' as the location.
Sydney airport is located in Mascot.
Perth airport is in Redcliff.
Brisbane airport is in Brisbane Airport.

There are shuttle buses that operate from the major airports to the city.

Cyclists enjoying another beautiful day in Melbourne city
Photo copyright Maria Ngo  

Credit cards 

The three most common credit cards used in Australia are Visa, Mastercard and Amex. Most retailers do not apply a surcharge for the first two cards. Some stores have a minimum purchase before you can use a credit card to pay for your purchases. You can find this information at the retail counters.

The airports have free WiFi as do major shopping centres.

Driving through another Australian town 

Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Mobile phones and SIM cards 

It is quite easy to get prepaid SIM cards in Australia - even the major supermarkets (Coles, Woolworth and also Aldi) are getting in on the act. But if you prefer to pick one up from a mobile phone retailer, the major suppliers are Optus, Telstra and Vodafone. Stores can be found in the CBD. If you are planning to use it in the cities, any of these will be fine. But if you plan to go into the country, Telstra offers the best coverage.

Navigation 

There are a number of mobile phone navigation apps that I've tried in my travel around Australia. I've found Google Maps to be very reliable and quite accurate in the city and major country towns. I would suggest downloading an offline version however because of spotty mobile coverage in the hills. Here is another mobile phone app that offers offline usage - it is quite good most of the time but if you want the shortcuts and quickest route in the city, I've found Google Maps to be my preferred option because of its search capabilities as well. It doesn't hurt to have alternate apps in case one fails for whatever reason.

You can also pick up dedicated satellite navigation devices like Tom Tom etc from stores like KMart quite easily. You can usually pick one up for around AUD100 to AUD 150. If you plan to do a bit of driving around the country, I would recommend investing in one of the above - but if you are sticking to the major cities and nearby towns, it might not be necessary.

Drive left and watch for heavy vehicles also 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Accommodation 

For accommodation, apart from hotels and motels, a popular Australian website called Stayz is worth checking out. And of course, AirBnB which needs no explanations.

See ya later mate 

I hope this post has been helpful in pointing you in the right direction as you research your trip to Australia. Stay posted for future articles on this beautiful country of mine. I can't wait to share more of it with you in future posts. 

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Scenic stop on the Great Ocean Road 

Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

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