Another country in the books and more fun adventures to share with you! In case you didn't catch on, I headed down to Australia for a nice Christmas break. Usually in the US my company gives us from Christmas day through New Year’s day off but I have to follow Singapore’s holiday schedule which only allows Christmas Day off. Luckily I saved up a couple vacation days to make for a nice 6 day trip.
The 8 hour plane ride wasn't too horrid as it was during sleep time for me but I still wasn't able to get that comfy spot to sleep as much as I needed. Also note, when flying that far on a budget airline consider bringing your own snacks or just give in and buy a drink as they do not include any meal or drink service on the flight (well at least on Scoot Airlines). Luckily my excitement helped me wake up a bit once we touched down. Once through immigration it was very easy to navigate the airport to hop on the train to Circular Quay and from there was only a short walk to the hotel. Thankfully there was a nice Christmas tree in the lobby that made up for my lack of one this year.
Marriott perks - free wine and cheese View from the hotel room
After a quick snack and nap it was time for a walk. First stop was walking along the harbor at Circular Quay and checking out the view of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Of course the first thing that hit me on this walk was how cool and windy it was! It blows my mind how much I have adapted to the heat and humidity of Singapore that being in the low 70s with wind makes me wish for a warm coat. I will note that the one thing I wish I did differently for this trip was pack some warmer clothes. Even so, it was extremely refreshing to be by the ocean and enjoy the salty breeze.
We then made our way towards Darling Harbour where a stop for a refreshing taste of craft brew hit the spot. King Street Brewery seemed like a really neat place, right on the harbor, lots of indoor and outdoor seating for large groups, yet it was quite empty to my surprise. I mean it was Christmas Eve so that might have had something to do with it, but I really hope that this place gets more people on non-holidays.
Another stop at the hotel to freshen up for dinner then it was back to Darling Harbour for a delicious meal and fireworks. I realized how much I’ve been missing good hearty Italian food and opted for a dish of papardelle infused with beet root juice (hence why the pasta is pink) and topped with goat cheese, zucchini, pine nuts, and arugula. Man it was delicious and hit the spot! On the walk back to the hotel, we passed through part of Martin Place and looked at the lights and Lego Christmas tree.
Christmas Day was unlike any I’d ever experienced. Usually I’m up at 7am (yes I’m still a kid when it comes to the excitement of Christmas morning) and I head downstairs to admire the tree and wait anxiously for the rest of my siblings and my parents to wake up. Stockings first and then we move to presents (with lots of wrapping paper fights and laughs). After gifts we enjoy some delicious breakfast which usually includes Moms famous sticky buns, and then spend the rest of the day hanging out, playing with the silly gifts Santa came up with for us (I swear he finds the most random things to leave in our stockings), and then alternating between eating and hanging out the rest of the day. This year, I woke up at 9:40AM to call Niles before he headed into work (boo business trips) but it was a wonderful way to start the day. After, I had a Marriott breakfast (not even close to Mom’s cooking) then made the call home to my family as they were prepping our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, kilduni (spell check on that one Auntie Claus). It was definitely an odd experience not being there but I managed to get through the whole call without crying my eyes out in the executive lounge at the hotel. Seeing them all definitely set in stone my plans for next Christmas: home (and time with Niles family too of course)!
The afternoon was spent walking up to the Opera House, which to my surprise isn't as white in person as it seems in pictures. What intrigued me most was the design of the panels when you got up close. It really looks like an armadillo or pangolin shell (at least that’s what I think they look like). Right next to the Opera House is the Royal Botanic Gardens which were filled with people lounging and enjoying the sunshine on the holiday. I can’t explain how nice it felt to be able to walk around in the sunshine and have a nice breeze to keep me cool, wind just doesn’t really happen all that often in Singapore. As I stare out my window and see trees moving in the wind… I guess it’s just a weird concept for me to be so close to the ocean here in Singapore and yet there isn’t always that strong ocean breeze you get elsewhere. 
After enjoying the nice walk through the park, it was time to chill out and enjoy some champagne in the hotel before Christmas dinner. Dinner was in the revolving restaurant at the Sydney Tower. It was fabulous views, even though it was pouring rain, and what is great about revolving restaurants is that you are always in a good seat. The only tricky part of the evening was that it was a buffet and half of the buffet was on the revolving part but the other half wasn’t…there were definitely some people who made some laps before figuring out where there table was actually located.
Since it was a buffet it meant I got to try lots of different items. The most exotic of all the items I tried were emu sausage, crocodile sausage, and kangaroo rump. My least favorite was the crocodile sausage but probably mostly due to the fact that I pictured a salt water croc eating me on the beach while I ate it…I know I’m weird. The other two were just fine, gamey like lamb which I love, and I could picture myself eating more of them if the opportunity arose. Overall the food choices were very nice, lots of variety so I’m sure anyone could find something they liked. Unfortunately dessert wasn’t so great, the options were insanely sweet, and the cream puffs…well let’s just say there was something quirky about them and not in a good way. But I’m glad to have had the view and a nice dinner!
I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and were able to enjoy it with your family and close friends!
Stay tuned for more…
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