If it isn’t already Uluṟu should be on your bucket list! It is honestly such a magical place, rich in culture, dreamtime stories & history.
The red centre at the heart of Australia which beats to the sound of the didgeridoo and glows a majestic deep red at sunrise & sunset. The continually changing colour is mesmerising! Just a 3hr 20min flight from Sydney, I highly recommend everyone to spend a few days here.
Travel Requirements
First things first let’s get the travel requirements out of the way.
As of 15.02.2022 before you travel to Uluṟu you’re required to :
*please check the upto date requirements before departure as these are subject to change.
Where to stay in Uluṟu
All the hotels are based in Yulara, a small town 25km from Uluṟu. You can use this website to explore the different accomodations.
Sails in the Desert
Desert Gardens Hotel
The Lost Camel
The Pioneer Outback
Emu Walks Apartments
Ayers Rock Camping Ground
We stayed in Sails in the Desert, in terms of price the cheapest room is $427 per night.
The staff and service were amazing. When we arrived they gave us a welcome drink and an ice cold flannel to freshen up with. The hotel breakfast was also lovely.
The only thing I would say is at the minute the hotel pool is under maintenance. We were allowed to use the pool in the neighbouring resort ‘The Lost Camel’ which was a saviour in the heat! In terms of price comparison The Lost Camel is cheaper than Sails in the Desert. As you have to use The Lost Camel pool at the moment I’d suggest if you are coming here before 31st March 2022 book The Lost Camel accommodation for the pool & price point!
Sails in the Desert Buffet Breakfast
Pool we were able to use at The Lost Camel
Pool at Sails in the Desert currently under construction
Temperature
This time of year (February) is extremely hot. Our temperatures averaged 39°. You need to get out and do tours/ explore early morning or evening. During the day from around noon to 5pm we spent our time at the pool or relaxing in the aircon. Drink plenty of water!
Things to do in Uluṟu
Note that all tours will include your transfers to and from your accommodation. You will be given your pick up time on confirmation of booking. I would also recommend pre-booking the activities/tours as they can book up during busy periods.
Field of Light
The Field of Light is an art installation of over 50,000 lights bringing the desert alive at night. The cost was $44 per person, you can book it here. It’s pretty cool, colourful lights as far as the eye can see. It’s a bit tricky to photograph just how beautiful it is.
Field of Light
Helicopter Ride over Uluṟu and Kata Tjuṯa
This was my top experience, it was incredible to see both Uluṟu and Kata Tjuṯa at a close proximity from the sky!
In terms of price I booked the 25minute flight which cost $275pp. There are a few other options the cheapest from $150pp lasting around 15mins. I would say when you’re in the helicopter the time goes really quick. If you have the budget i’d recommend the longer flight.
Helicopter Ride
Sounds of Silence, Dinner Experience
Dinner in the desert under the stars, it doesn’t get much better! For me Sounds of Silence was a really magical experience. I booked it for my partners Birthday Meal and overall the experience was just incredible.
Price $234pp includes the following:
Welcome drinks & outback style canapé’s to watch the sunset.
A three-course bush tucker inspired buffet & beer/wine
Didgeridoo performance
A guided tour of the night sky (we saw a shooting star!)
You’re transported out of town to the outback landscape. You are greeted with champagne and canapé’s as the sunsets in the background.
When the sun is almost set you’re taken on a short walk through the red sand to your dinner setting, greeted by a Didgeridoo performance and alcoholic beverages. We watched the remainder of the sunset over Kata Tjuṯa as our dinner was served.
After dinner the table lights are turned off, and you’ll be blown away by stars above! A tour of the stars accompanied with indigenous stories about the stars and the constellations and how they used them to navigate the land.
It’s not cheap, but it’s something that will stay with you forever. You can book it here.
Sounds of Silence
Astro Tour
We had an incredible tour guide called Todd who was so knowledgeable and informative. He took us on a tour of the night sky pointing out different stars, planets, constellations and letting us view them through a telescope. The cost was $55pp and it latest about 1.5hours.
Uluṟu Base Walk
You have a few ways to do it –
Segway Tour
Walk the 10km loop (start early morning in hot weather)
Ranger led Mala walk
The Ranger led Mala walk starts at 8am daily and is free. It’s a great way to see Uluṟu up close and learn about the sacred Angula land.
FLY NETS! The flies are pesky, I would recommend buying a face covering net for both the Uluṟu Base walk and the Kata Tjuṯa walk.
Kata Tjuṯa Valley of the Winds trail
Uluru’s next-door neighbour is NOT to be missed! Offering a stunning 8km walking trail that takes you through to incredible viewpoints. Again you need to go early in the hotter months to avoid the midday heat. In the hot months the longer track closes at 11am whenthe weather is forecast above 36 degrees.
This walk offers a lot of variety, the many domes of Kata Tjuṯa were just as incredible to see as Uluṟu.
Sunrise & Sunset Viewing Point near hotel
The viewing point was just a 5 minute walk from our hotel and provided us with some magical moments. Ask your accomodation for directions from where you’re staying but it isn’t far.
Car Rental
You can rent cars in the Town Square, there’s Trifty & Hertz.
Car rental was $220 per day, fuel was $2.35 per litre
Airport Transfers
Your accomodation offer free airport transfers.
Hop on hop off bus
There is a free hop on hop off bus which stops at the following resorts Desert Gardens, Sails in the Desert & the campground. The stops you can take the bus to include the Mutitjulu Waterhole, Kuniya Piti, Mala Carpark and The Cultural Centre all at Uluṟu.
For Kata Tjuṯa you can take the hop on hop off bus for a sunrise departure (4:55am). You will stop at Sand Dune for sunrise viewing and then you can either do the Walpa Gorge walk (1hour) or the Valley of the Winds walk (3hours). The bus will take you back to the resort for either 9am or 11am depending on which walking track you choose.
Ask your hotel for the bus timetable.
Our Itinerary
Friday: Flight, Hotel checkin, lunch, explore the Town Square, pool, Dinner, watched sunset at viewing point near hotel, Field of Lights 8:25pm
Saturday: Breakfast, Helicopter 9:40am, pool, lunch, car rental (drove to Uluru), Sounds of Silence 6:35pm – 10:35pm.
Sunday: Drove to Uluru for sunrise and guided ranger walk 8am, drove to Kata Tjuṯa walked Valley of the Winds, drove to other viewing points, dropped off car rental, pool time, went to The Outback Pioneer for dinner, Astro Tour 9:35pm – 11:15pm
Monday: Sunrise at viewing point near hotel, breakfast, Town Square walk, Checkout 10am, Airport transfer 10:55am.
All in all we had an incredible time here and would really recommend you go see it all with your own eyes! Pictures don’t quite do it justice! If you have any more questions please reach out to me and I’ll be happy to assist as best I can.
Instagram @gemken_ where you will see highlights of my time spent in Uluṟu.
The perfect day trip from Sydney, approximately 1hr 15m drive from Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
Things to do around Palm Beach:
1. Hike up to Barrenjoey Lighthouse
The Lighthouse 113 metres above sea-level, the highest point of the Barrenjoey Headland.
It’s very short but steep steps / hill up depending which route you decide to take.
We always go up the steps and come down the other side in a loop. I recommend you do the loop so you can take full advantage of the different view points.
It’s not the longest, toughest hike but the beautiful panoramic costal views & the lighthouse make it a must do!
2. Take a picnic to the beach
Pack your swimmers & a sandwich. After you finish your walk around the lighthouse set up for a chill afternoon on the beach.
3. Home & Away Set
Palm Beach is famously known as Summer Bay in Australian TV Show Home & Away. The outdoor set includes the beach area, the outsides of some of the houses, the exterior of the Surf Club and Alf’s Bait Shop.
Filming takes place Mondays, Tuesdays & sometimes Wednesday’s. If you go on at the beginning of the week there’ll be a high chance of seeing the cast, production & filming.
You could also book onto a tour if you’re a super fan! The Tour departs from Sydney, the guide will share all the inside knowledge & facts about the show whilst taking the scenic route to Whale Beach, Avalon Beach and Bilgola Lookout. All while passing famous filming locations and beautiful costal views.
4. Surfs up!
Take surfing lessons at the southern end of Palm Beach. This end of the beach is sheltered, calm and provides constant gentle waves making it one of the best spots around Sydney to learn to surf.
5. Ride the ferry to Ettalong from Palm Beach Wharf
Take the ferry from Palm Beach to Ettalong, a pretty beach town. The ferry departs hourly from Palm Beach Wharf and takes 25 minutes, passing between Barrenjoey Headland and Box Head.
6. Pittwater Discovery Kayaking Tour
Just a 15 min drive from Palm Beach you can rent kayaks and go to remote beaches. You can opt for a half or full day guided tour exploring bush & beaches.
7. Newport Arms Hotel
We always stop in here for food on the way home from Palm Beach. It offers a variety of different cuisines throughout the venue, from wood fire pizzas, bar food, steakhouse, seafood.. there is plenty to choose from.
Trek through bush to ocean views & Eagle Rock. I highly recommend this adventure just be sure to bring plenty of water & suncream if you are doing it on a hot day. I also recommend starting it early morning before the midday sun.
The terrain is mostly sandy/ slightly uneven in places, particularly at the beginning. Overall its quite flat, not too challenging and the views are absolutely stunning.
HIDDEN GEMS: Curra Moors
Destination: approx 44km drive from Eastern Suburbs (50minutes).
Distance: 10km
Difficulty: Medium, mostly flat land.
Getting there: Drive to Curra Moors carpark on Sir Bertram Stevens Drive, Royal National Park NSW.
Parking costs: $12 per vehicle; free for NSW National Parks annual pass holders
Essential Gear
Comfortable footwear/ hiking shoes
Water
Hat
Suncream
Sunglasses
Snacks
Camera
Swimmers (optional if you fancy cooling off)
If you wish to attend a HIDDEN GEMS event please sign up to the email list and join the Facebook Group here for upcoming adventures.
– if you have proof of vaccination or proof of recovery from COVID-19 in the prior 6 months you do not have to do a PCR pre-departure COVID-19 test. (This it for arrival in Ireland please check your airline requirements & countries you are transiting through as some airlines/ countries may require a negative PCR to fly/ transit)
You can keep up to date with government requirements in Ireland here
Current rules for travelling to UK:
– From 4am on 11 February all testing requirements will be removed for eligible fully vaccinated arrivals, that being said I recommend checking your airline & transiting country requirements
– Arrivals who are not recognised as fully vaccinated will need to take a pre-departure PCR test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after they arrive in the UK.
Current rules for travelling to Australia
– Official certification of double vaccination.
– Negative pre departure PCR taken within 72 hours of flight departure time
⁃ Travel Declaration Form completed 72 hours before linked here
– Rapid Antigen Test when you arrive
– No quarantine for international arrivals into NSW, VIC, NT, QLD, SA
I can’t believe I’m **finally** back writing another blog post for help and tips on TRAVEL!!! 🥳 ✈️ At long last!
Here are the steps I followed leaving Australia to make the long awaited return home. First off my flight was Sydney > Doha > Manchester > Dublin
What was required?
Negative PCR
PCR can’t be any earlier than 48 hours before departure.
You can either:
Book a PCR with Medlab, research your nearest location. Cost: $120
OR
Do the PCR at Histopath in the airport it’s cheaper and you get an instant result (within 90mins you can queue for checkin whilst waiting) $79
You can register for the test here. There is no need to make an appointment, just show up in good time to airport and do it before checkin!
Applies to Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane Airports. Histopath is just across from Gate D at Sydney International Airport.
PLF : Passenger Locator Form
We had to do a passenger locator form for UK & IRELAND because we were transiting through Manchester airport.
Here are the links:
Ireland can be completed 72 hours before departure linked here .
UK can be completed 48 hours before departure linked here
If you are transiting through the UK or it is your final destination you will be required to book and pay for a day 2 PCR (£45 was the cheapest we found through the link on government website, when you get to the section about your PCR booking number on the PLF you’ll see a clickable link directing you to all the purchasing options, we went with Vital)
International Vaccination Certification
You need to download your international vaccine certificate from the Medicare app.
If you are having any issues go into Medicare and they will print it for you. If you do get them to print it off for you, take a picture so you can keep a digital copy too.
Tips
– Print out all documentation.
– Allow extra time for checkin. It took us 1.5 hours just to get checked in & bags dropped off.
We got to the airport 4 hours before. It gave us plenty of time to get everything sorted and organised. There’s a lot of queuing as everyone is experiencing international travel for the first time in 2 years (ALOT has changed!), Many people hadn’t all the correct documents which slows up the checkin process. Make your life easy and arrive with all your documentation printed out and ready to go.
– I also recommend you keep an eye on the official government website of the country you are travelling to & your airline for any changes to rules & requirements as they do change often.
All in all it wasn’t stressful on the day. We had a smooth journey home to the Emerald Isle just in time to spend our first Christmas in five years with our beautiful families! 😭🥰
The return journey to Australia
I will update with links/options and added tips when I get myself organised for the journey back to Australia.
Requirements thus far;
– Valid Visa (you can apply for a Working Holiday Visa here, tourist visas aren’t available at the moment)
⁃ Negative PCR within 72 hours* before departure (I will be booking with Randox it costs £55)
⁃ Travel Declaration Form completed 72 hours before linked here
⁃ International Vaccination Certificate
⁃ PCR; fully vaccinated international passengers arriving in NSW must get a PCR (nose and throat swab) test within 24 hours of arrival and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. Take another PCR test on day 6.
⁃ At the moment there’s no quarantine for fully vaccinated arrivals from Ireland/UK, however Australia change things quite rapidly so keep an eye here to find out any change in details.
*keep an eye that it doesn’t change to 48 hours as the UK changed theirs the day before our flight home from 72 to 48hours.
Happy Christmas everyone 🎅 Wherever in the world you are spending the holidays I wish you all the joy and happiness. For those of us not so fortunate in being able to leave Australia, I hope all your Christmas wishes come true in early 2022. Big love to everyone and especially those finding it tough.
It has been a minute since I’ve last sat down to write a blog post! I wanted to give you all a little update and talk about feelings.
I finished up my East Coast trip at the beginning of March, booked a last minute surprise visit home, left home to go to New Zealand and now I’m updating you all from Cairns in Australia. To say my life has been a bit manic is definitely an understatement.
So… what has been rolling around my brain for the past 5 weeks?
Homesick, feeling overwhelmed, big changes, scared of making life decisions knowing they will be impactful to my future, stressing about money, work, sponsorship, finding a new home, starting over again. Some of the many things over working my little brain.
Let’s rewind to January 31st2019, the day I left my home in Bondi to begin my travels. Since then I haven’t had house keys, a bed or wardrobe… ultimately I left a little place that was my home away from home. It’s now May and I’m still on the road. That’s 4 months of unpacking, repacking and living from my big pink suitcase. How amazing? How fun? How lucky am I?
Yes I agree, when I write it down like that it seems like a whirlwind fun journey others would only envy. I almost feel guilty for admitting my feelings because I know how lucky I am to be travelling the world. I’m young, healthy and living a life others may never get the opportunity to experience. That said I wanted to highlight the side of leaving home that most people don’t see or talk about.
Going home was so much more than a surprise visit to me. It was a journey made up of a new realisation every day I was there.
It was the realisation that Australia is actually a really far jaunt home. I cried tears of joy on my plane journey home to surprise my family, god forbid I would have to travel under tragic circumstances- an added worry to my stressing.
It was the realisation of important events I had missed and will miss.
It was the realisation of how big the children had all got, how the years were running away with the young and the old, how my granny was keeping. Time stays still for no one.
It was the realisation I wouldn’t be ‘down the road’ from my best friends for god knows how long, when would I be back again?
It was the realisation I’d moved out of home. I know that sounds ridiculous because I moved out in July 2017, but when I left then I was sure I’d be back a year later. Now I’ve realized it’s the end of me living under my parent’s roof because Niall and I are planning to save for our own house.
It was the realisation that even if I came home it wouldn’t be the same. Time won’t sit on pause at 2017 for eternity, nor will it wait on me to come home and hit resume.
The realisation of all these things hit me like a tonne of bricks. Leaving home again left me feeling empty inside.
I jumped on the plane from home, spent two days in Sydney unpacking and repacking to head off for another 7 weeks. I can’t explain to you how uneasy I felt boarding the flight to New Zealand. I was crying because I wanted it to be a plane heading back to Ireland. I knew it was going to be almost 2 months until I saw Niall again, the person who helps me most when I feel homesick.
After 2 weeks in New Zealand my cousin joined me for the remainder of the trip. She currently lives in San Francisco and I couldn’t have had a better shoulder to cry on because she just gets it. She too has had the travellers worries and experienced it all. I feel so much better in comparison to what I did even just a week or two ago. I’ve stopped thinking at ten to the dozen. I’ve relaxed my thoughts and banished the negative ones from settling in.
To anyone who is travelling, feeling homesick or maybe just feeling unsettled- I feel you. My best advice is as follows;
Take a step back, take a deep breath and ask yourself ‘why am I worrying about this in particular?’ ‘Is this out of my control or can I implement steps to help?’
Stop overthinking and creating unrealistic scenarios in your head.
Don’t stress over simple things.
Keep a diary of emotions and release your feelings.
Don’t be afraid to cry or ask someone for advice/ reassurance.
Change your mindset to view things as opportunities and experiences.
Play some ocean waves white noise at night to help you unwind, de-stress and fall asleep. The sound of the ocean is good for the soul I believe!
Repeat after me: CHANGE IS GOOD
We don’t always have to look at the bigger picture. Sometimes a bigger picture can be stressful. We can take things step by step and at our own pace.
A personal recent example of freaking out over the bigger picture is our sponsorship visa. Niall and I are submitting sponsorship which costs a shit load of money and grants us 4 more years in Australia. I got myself in a fluster and had a major meltdown over the sponsorship visa. I literally crumbled thinking how am I going to be away from home for 4 more years. If this is my life now, I’ll feel homesick forever.
Break it down Gemma. You are not a tree rooted into the ground, you aren’t stuck in one place forever. Nothing is permanent. You are only 1 day away from home and it will always be there.
This morning I woke up with the realisation that home doesn’t have to be a place; home can be a feeling. I feel at home when I am with Niall. I can’t wait to squeeze his wee face verging on 7 weeks since I last seen him! It doesn’t matter your postcode, time zone or country, you too have the power to create a sense and feeling of home and contentment.
I wanted to share this blog post with you all because I wanted to show you that I too get overwhelemed, feel anxious and need to take a step back. I hope you can find comfort in this post and use my advice to help shake your feeling. Just remember to enjoy the journey don’t spend it stressing about what is next. Live in the moment, ride the waves and trust your own path. Soon the journey we are on will become distant memories!
My message requests are full of people asking for my East Coast Itinerary. A lot of you seem to be starting your trip in the next week or two so I thought I’d post my itinerary first to help you plan yours! I’ve also included the camper rental details at the end.
I am working on an in-depth blog post about the trip, it will take me a little while longer considering the amount of places/ tips/ recommendations, so please bear with me on that one.
DIRVE SYDNEY TO CAIRNS IN 1 MONTH Suggested stops & recommended time to spend in each place. See picture below & destination details underneath.
GEMKENBLOG EAST COAST ITINERARY
Destination 1: Set off from Sydney drove to Port Stephens, Nelsons Bay (3 hour drive, stay 1 night)
*The next destination you should do is Gold Coast, we done it this way because we wanted the weekend in Gold Coast to celebrate Niall’s birthday so we drove back on ourselves an hour to get back to Gold Coast the following day
Destination 11: 1770 – Airlie Beach (8 hour drive, stay 1 night before Whitsundays & 2 nights after, park camper for Whitsundays trip, would recommend only 1 night before & 1 night after)
Destination 12: WHITSUNDAYS – Ride to Paradise, stay 2 nights on Paradise Cove Island Resort
Destination 13: Back to Arlie Beach for 2 nights
Destination 14: Airlie Beach – Magnetic Island (4 hour drive, stay 2 nights)
Destination 15: Magnetic Island – Mission Beach (3 hour drive, stay 1 night, we actually ended up leaving Mission Beach out as the only thing to do here is Skydive & none of us wanted to do it, so we drove straight to Cairns)
Destination 16: Cairns, we stayed for 5 nights and done the following day trips.
Day Trip – Port Douglas & Cape Tribulation
Day Trip – Scuba Dive Great Barrier Reef
Day Trip- Waterfalls (Uncle Brians Tour)
Flight home- Fly back Cairns – Sydney
Bertha, Our Baby
Camper Van Rental Details
Company- Chepa Campa, Apollo Motorhome Holidays
Rental Time 1 Month
Price including Insurance $5,000 (approx)
Pick up Sydney, drop off Cairns
We had a 6 person van although there was only 4 of us, would recommend going bigger if you can afford to for the extra space as it gets so cramped.
I hope you find this useful to plan your own East Coast Trip. Give me a message on insta if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to help. Also let me know if you find it helpful, I love hearing feedback.
I hope everyone who sent me questions about Bali enjoys the detail of this post. Keep reading to find out lots of my tips and recommendations on Bali, it is a long one so kick back and enjoy my lovelies.
P.S I’m guessing you are planing a trip to Bali if you are reading this, firstly you will love it, secondly please take me back with you!
Gem x
The figures included in this blog post are an approximate conversion of Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) to Australian Dollar and GBP.
Kelapa Villas
If you guys follow my Insta-Stories (@gemkenblog) you will know Bali was a very impulsive last minute holiday.
Niall and I headed back to Sydney for a weekend during our regional work to celebrate our friend’s birthday’s. Whilst there we ended up booking flights to Bali late Sunday night for a Monday morning departure. Last minute at it’s finest.
Were we organised? Absolutely not. Were we packed? Absolutely not. Did we have the time of our lives? Absolutely.
Tip: Try to book your flights in advance. Who are these people that find last minute deals? Show me them please. We paid $2157.00 for flights alone. (We could have flew home for that!) I mean being spontaneous is all well and good until you hit double pricing for flights.
After booking our flights we went straight to sleep (so organised, so prepared) and set an alarm for 6:30am to get ready and pack. We were leaving for the airport at 7:20am – 40 minutes is plenty of time to sort ourselves surely….
We were like two children on Christmas morning, running about the house trying to find holiday bits and bobs to jam into a suitcase. Surprisingly neither of us were in any way stressing, it was all laughter and pure excitement which set an amazing tone for the whole holiday.
Arriving in Bali
We touched down in Denpasar airport and hadn’t a clue what we were doing! A few months prior our friends had holidayed to Bali and were telling us about this amazing tour guide they had the whole time. We connected to the airport WiFi and made contact with Epic Holiday Tour & Travel. Vicky Sinatra was the name of our driver and he told us he would be with us in an hour.
Tip – if you are landing in Bali at a peak hour with other aircraft arrivals sprint to immigration! We made a rookie mistake of having a pee before joining the ever growing queue of people, 90 minutes it took us to get through immigration *eye roll*. Also bring a pen in your hand luggage, we waited about 20 minutes for pens to fill out the immigration documents.
Fast forward to baggage claim. We grabbed our bags and ran out to see Vicky standing with a name sign, in we hopped to the car and set off to the hotel. Our 40 minute taxi fare from the airport to the hotel cost 150,000 Rupiah ($15/ £8). On the way to the hotel Vicky gave us loads of recommendations and we booked him for a few days to tick off some of the suggested activities.
Highly Recommended: Vicky is the most care-free, chill person we have ever met. He was our personal driver/photographer/comedian the whole time! His English is amazing and he is contactable via Whatsapp and Facebook. Tell him you know us and that I’ve recommended him, I told him I would include him in my blog post for which he was incredibly grateful for. Number: +62 819-1621-0131 Facebook: Epic Holiday Tour & Travel
Tip: If you don’t opt for a tour guide I suggest downloading the Grab App which is basically Bali’s version of Uber. Uber can be used in a select few areas but it isn’t as accessible in Bali as other taxis.
NIGHT ONE
We chucked our poorly packed cases into our room, changed quickly and headed to the beach to catch our first Bali Sunset on Kuta Beach. I am an absolute sucker for a sunrise/ sunset, they just bring harmony to my soul and a cheesy smile to my face. When the sun had disappeared we took ourselves to the Hard Rock Café to eat our body weight in burgers!
Sunset on Kuta Beach (Had to screenshot from my Instagram video so picture quality is poor)
As far as prices go, The Hard Rock Café is not the cheapest when compared to ‘backpacker’ Bali prices. But we were starving and the watermelon mojito was calling my name, so in we went.
Meal price: 850,000 ($85/ £50- main and drinks)
After dinner we made our way back to the hotel via some street markets to call it a night after a long days travelling.
We stayed in the Bounty Hotel, Kuta. It cost around 1,800,000 IDR ($180/ £110) for a three night stay with breakfast included.
DAY TWO
We got up early to have breakfast and fuel our bodies for a day of exploring. Vicky collected us at 10am and we made our way Ubud. En route we stopped off at the Tohpati Bali Batik where Balinese locals can be viewed working on amazing garments. Hand stitching, painting, weaving and sewing magnificent pieces of clothing outside one of the last factories in Bali which still use these hand techniques. I bought a cute scarf which was 80,000 IDR ($8/ £4.50).
Tohpati Bali Batik
(Picture credits: Pintrest. I only took videos and forgot to snap a quick pic)
Coffee Plantation
We arrived at the coffee plantation at 12:30pm and by this stage Niall was eager for his caffeine fix. We were greeted and taken on a mini expedition showing us the process of creating the coffee. We were then guided to a cute hut overlooking the beautiful rain forest where we chilled on beanbags and sampled copious amounts of coffee.
Niall’s two favorite things in life: bean bags and coffee
Cat-poo-chino
Luwak coffee is the coffee we were there to taste, known as the most expensive coffee in the world due to the process undertaking to produce it… The process goes a little something like this: a small furry animal consumes and digests the coffee beans. The beans are fermented in their tummy and once it’s pooped out the beans go through a few processes of cleaning, roasting and grinding. Hence the nickname Cat-poo-chino.
We’ll take 17 Cat-poo-chinos please
After 17 tasters of coffee we were all buzzed up to explore the beautiful surroundings. The grounds around the place is so stunning with lots of cute places to chill and adventure.
Mr Lover Lover – Coffee Plantation Love Nest
We finished up at the coffee plantation and were ready for Vicky to take us to the next destination, the rice fields.
Rice Terrace
We walked through the little markets and purchased conical hatsto culturize ourselves (and for the cute insta pics of course).
Rice Terrace Entrance
Entrance into the rice fields cost 20,000 IDR ($2/ £1) with a donation point nearer to the top also. We walked up to the top to gaze at the incredible view and hang out in the Bali Corner.
Bali Corner, Rice Terrace
We explored the rice fields for an hour. At this stage our friends were due to land in Densapar airport and so we made our way back to them, via a pit stop in McDonald’s. Of course.
The cost of the taxi from 10am-5:30pm was 500,000 IDR ($50/ £30).
We arrived back to the hotel just minutes before the rest of the crew landed. We all quickly changed with strict instructions to be at the bar in 20 minutes. After a few bevvies in the hotel bar we headed out to Jamie Oliver’s restaurant followed by a mad night out in the Sky Gardens.
Jamie Oliver Restaurant (approx $40 per head /£22 -main and drinks)
Sky Gardens
We paid Sydney prices for a table which was a laughable, shitty little table on the side of the dance floor lol – BUT it included a free buffet. I know, a buffet in a club? Life Goals. I was eating mash potatoes in between dances moves. The mash in Sky Gardens was insane, bear in mind all I had eaten for the past 5 months was McDonald’s and take outs (farm life) so I really couldn’t get enough of it hahaha.
There was 7 different levels with different music on each floor. It was huge. We drank bottles and they weren’t too much cheaper than you would pay at home. Bottle Vokda: 800,000 IDR ($80, £50) Moet: 1,200,000 IDR ($120, £70). We made our way home around 5am after a final pit stop via the buffet, we really got our moneys worth on the spuds anyway.
DAY THREE
It’s safe to say we had a chilled out pool day to recuperate ourselves, dying heads all round! In the evening we took a stroll around the mall which was amazing! We visited a huge candy store and I satisfied my sweet tooth with Reeces Pieces, Pic n Mix and Hershey’s.
The previous 2 nights we had passed a restaurant that was queued out the door both times. On the way back this evening we were lucky enough to wiggle into a spot. The place was called Fat Chows, it was sooooo delicious and the cheapest meal we had! (Approx 200,000 IDR per head $20/£11- starter, main and drink)
Fat Chows- Cashew Chicken
Fat Chows- Starters
After dinner we done some street bargaining for trainers to wear on our hike up Mount Batur and went home to get a few hours sleep before our 1:30am alarm.
DAY FOUR
Mount Batur
(Note: none of these pictures are filtered. It really is this beautiful!)
Mount Batur involves a hike up the active Volcano which is 3500m high. It is home to lots of monkeys and quite possibly the most instagramable sunrise in the world.
Vicky picked us up at 2am in Kuta to have us at the bottom of the mountain for 4am. Due to some traffic we were set back 40 minutes and I was stressing in case it prevented us from witnessing the sunrise. We arrived a little later than expected so we jumped straight out of the car, met by our mountain guide, grabbed a torch and began our ascent at 4:40am
About 1 hour in to the trek, we bypassed the clouds and glancing over our shoulders was the most stunning view ever witnessed. Being above the clouds we were shielded from the world below by this thick marshmallow like blanket, and looking up to the night sky, it seemed we were close enough to touch the dazzling stars.
Mount Batur- just as the sun started peaking
It took us 1hr 20m to reach the top. The sun was set to rise around 6:15am so we had made it with 15 minutes to spare. We sat our bags down and just stood speechless, taking in the view and looking at each other in disbelief. It was one of those ‘pinch me’ moments. I could have cried I was just so happy in that moment in time.
Mount Batur
The sun rise was positioned perfectly in front of us and the absence of clouds blocking the view made for the most incredible explosion of colour as the sun peaked up from beneath.
I just couldn’t stop saying ‘OMG’ over and over. I don’t know what it was but it literally felt like I was in heaven, like I could feel something spiritually. Maybe it was because I’ve never witnessed anything more beautiful, or maybe it was because we were so high in the sky and were talking about family members in heaven. I don’t know how to really put it in to words, but when I tell you I could have cried with happiness, I actually mean I was choking back happy tears. Maybe it was just the altitude going to my head…
Mount Batur
We spent the next few hours watching the sun rise higher and higher in the sky, capturing unforgettable moments on our camera. We walked around the mountain learning about the sacred ceremonies and Niall made mates with some monkeys.
Two Monkeys (Had to screenshot from video so picture quality is poor)
We began our decent back down, which was slippy AF. The volcanic ash just slides from under your feet. At this stage my feet were killing me, I swear I had blisters (good ole $5 haggled trainers) and I couldn’t wait to get to the Hot Springs.
Tips for climbing Mount Batur
Get a mountain guide (helps you with the path and provides you with a torch).
Take a bottle of water.
Wear a mini backpack so you have your hands free (slidy on the way down).
Take a pack of tissues for a pee.
Take some money for snacks / take snacks of your own (there are people selling food and drinks along the way).
Wear comfy worn before trainers, not the ones you bought for $5 off the market or you will have blisters.
Take an extra layer as it will be very chilly until the sun rises! I was wearing shorts with tracksuit bottoms over the top, with the intention of taking the tracksuit bottoms off at the top when the sun came up. Even when the sun came up I was still cold because of the crisp, dewy mountain air.
We went to the Toya Devasya Hot Springs to soak and relax ourselves in the natural earth heated pools for a few hours with lunch and drinks. There are four different hot spring pools where you can soak in the minerals, refresh and rejuvenate after the hike.
Price for return transport, mountain tour guide, entrance into Hot Springs: 800,000 IDR ($80/ £45)
Finn’s Beach Club Seminyak
On to the next location of the day! We made our way to meet the rest of the gang at Finn’s Beach Club. It was Yassu’s birthday and what better way to celebrate than at a beach club sipping cocktails! We got a bed by the pool and lived it up eating and drinking like lords.
We left Finn’s Beach Club around 8pm to go back to the hotel and get changed for a birthday meal fit for our princess. We went to the fanciest restaurant I think I’ve ever been called Double Six, Seminyak. There was a man in a white tux playing a saxophone to us whilst we ate our steak- so extra. To be honest we had all had a few too many bottles at Finns to fully appreciate the experience lol.
Bill: Mains & Drinks for 6 people 4,650,000 IDR ($465/ £260)
After dinner and a few more drinks Niall and I called it a night as we were on the go 24 hours straight at this stage. We really were squeezing as much into our time as possible because the following day we would leave the mainland to enjoy our last few days in Gili T.
DAY FIVE
We woke up and quickly packed a mini bag to take to Gili T, leaving the remainder of our luggage in the hotel. We all took our seats on the hot and sweaty bus and opened a few Bintang Beer to keep us cool. It takes about 1 hour to get from Kuta to Padang Bai by bus. The boat journey took about 90 minutes.
Price: 750,000 IDR per person ($75/£40) includes return transport from hotel and boat trip to Gili Islands. Bintang Beer: 20,000 IDR ($2/£1)
Gili Trawagan
Gili T- Palm Tree Heaven
Whats not to love about island life? Palmtrees, Coconuts, Private Villa, Hammocks, Turtles, Bicycles & the most magical sunsets- sounds like a dream but this is how we spent our last few days in Bali.
When the boat docked at Gili T, we were put onto the horse carts which took us to our Villa. (The only transport on the Island is Horse & Cart or Bicycle, some of the horses would make you cry they look malnourished. We fed and watered them when we could and walked where possible.)
It was about a 10-15 minute trot from the boat to Kelapa Villas which cost 50,000 IDR ($5/ £3).
Gili T – Horse and Cart
We stayed on the sunset side of the island at the amazing Kelapa Villas.Our Villas names was Mimpi and she was beautiful- I didn’t want to leave her ever!
The doors opened and in we walked to our very own paradise, greeted with fresh coconuts. We all dibs’d our rooms and bombed into our private pool.
Gili T- Kelapa Villas, Mimpi
We had left our speaker in Kuta so we paid a staff member to go buy us a speaker and bring it back. We could hear him before we seen him, back he came with Avicii pumping and we were all buzzing! The vodkas were poured and the music turned up. We were definitely living our best lives.
Tip: Split the cost of a villa between friends and it works out similar cost to hotels, and I know which i’d prefer!
We had a few laughs around the pool before we decided we should explore some of the island as we had limited time here. We went to the main strip, where we read many reviews on the great nightlife BUT it was Ramadan and the music had all stopped early. There were still a few places serving drinks so we sat ourselves down on some bean bags on the beach and had a few Bintangs.
On the way home we stopped with one of the locals to book a day out swimming with the turtles and seeing the other two Gili Islands, Meno and Air.
DAY SIX
I woke up, opened my bedroom door, took 5 steps and launched myself into our pool- Holiday Vibes.
Gili T- Kelapa Villas, Mimpi. This was taken from my bedroom door.
Kelapa Villas- Breakfast
We ate our breakfast at the Villa before spending the day exploring around the islands on the boat. We hired out the whole boat to ourselves because it meant we weren’t restricted time wise in places we wanted to spend a little longer.
Snorkeling with Turtles
We snorkeled with turtles at Turtle Point in front of Gili Meno and stopped off for lunch on the beach.
Hello Mr Turtle! – Gili Meno- Turtle Point
When we got back to the Villa in the evening we were racing against time as it was almost sunset and we wanted to get thatfamous picture on the sunset swing. We showered and dressed for the evening (pointless because we all got soaked and had to come back to change again haha).
Along the stretch of beach are many swings and hammocks, plenty of opportunity to get your picture without having to wait on others. It is just as beautiful to enjoy them in the day, chilling on a hammock in the ocean is total relaxation!
Gili T – Sunset Swing
Gili T- Ocean Hammock
DAY SEVEN
And so our time in our villa was almost over… We woke up and packed up all our stuff, said an emotional goodbye to Villa Mimpi and off we went to have our last island breakfast.
The most beautiful walkway to breakfast – Kelapa Villas
Kelapa Villas – Breakfast
After breakfast we went to the beach to ride horses along the water and soak in our last morning on the island.
Note: The food on Gili T outside of our villa was not that impressive, or at least the places we ate weren’t. We had two bad evening meals which weren’t even worth including because they were rank.
We grabbed our bags and headed to the boat to make the return journey to the mainland. We sat top deck on the boat, the music was up full blast and the Bintangs were once again flowing for the final time. We had great craic on the boat and really made the most of every second. The thing was, Niall and I were returning to Australia to complete our regional work so we really wanted to make the most of the holiday, which we most certainly did!
Boats & Bintangs
Off the boat we hopped and at this stage we knew if we had of got our prepaid bus back with all the stops we wouldn’t be able to go via the hotel to get our luggage, due to the time and our flight. So we decided to hop in a private taxi and make our way back to Kuta. This didn’t make a difference. The traffic was horrendous, standstill, going nowhere. Each time we asked the taxi man how long his response would be ‘another 1 hour’. 2 hours later he was still telling us ‘just one more hour’. We were cutting it fine to our flight time so we made the decision to leave our luggage at the hotel and pay for the others to bring it back. It was going to be cheaper to pay for our luggage than it would have been to pay for 2 more flights (we had already paid out the nose for the first set of flights).
Luckily I had the passports in my hand bag so we scrapped going back to the hotel and just set straight for the airport. We made the flight in the nick of time. What a whirlwind of a trip, an extremely last minute booking made for one of the best holidays of our lives.
Tip: The weather forecast for Bali often states rain/ tropical thunderstorms, take this with a pinch of salt as we had fantastic weather despite the weather app suggesting otherwise. A few people I know have said the same.
Tip: Try wrap your head around the Bali currency before you go. It is confusing AF, well at least it was was for me. (Luckily Niall stopped me from paying $500 for a massage & pedicure, it was only suppose to be $50. From this point on Niall controlled the money lol)
I did actually vlog a bit of Bali, but I haven’t even got around to looking at all the footage. It was my first time vlogging so I’m not sure what way it will turn out plus majority of the time we were Bintanged so i’d say it will be hilarious if nothing else!!
I still have my Thailand stuff to post but due to the Bali blog being so requested I wanted to get it up first for you guys. If you found this blog helpful please give it a like/comment/ repost. It really means a lot to me that you guys read my blog and ask me for my advice.
I’ll be working away on my Thailand blog/video and Bali vlog. Ideally I’d love it all up before i go to Fiji in a few weeks! And on that note, if you have any Fiji recommendations please send them my way!
Big LOVE, Gem Ken x
Gili Islands have been shut off due to the recent earthquakes in Lombok. I have included a link to help the Balinese locals if you wish to do so. I donated the price of a G&T, if you want to help use this link to do so. They are almost at the target of $76k!
This blogpost details the exact steps I took to get me from behind an office desk to a beach far away!
I hope it helps any of you who are considering or are in the process of the big move.
GemKen x
Why Travel?
Niall and I always talked about traveling , we were both in agreement that it was something we needed to do as soon as we had our degrees behind us.
Our reasonings for travelling? To culture and educate ourselves from something other than a book. To experience life, see the world and embrace the endless opportunities and new friendships. To see what the amazing change of lifestyle had to offer, to learn about ourselves as individuals and about our relationship.
And i mean, who doesn’t want to live by the beach?
Deciding To Go
An easy decision to make- right? So many people talk about it, dream about it and wish about it. Anyone you talk to encourages you to fly the nest and see what’s out there, what it’s all about.
For me it wasn’t deciding to go that was difficult, it was when. When is the right time?
Honestly there is no ‘right’ time. You’ll forever wait if you keep passing up your travels because of events; weddings, birthdays, a lads/girls holiday.
The truth is there is no time like the present, book it, do it, go, go, go.
Book your trip based on when you want to go, don’t book it around suiting other people.
We all have a tendancy to be ‘people pleasers’ and have serious fear of missing out on occasions when the realtiy is there will be plenty more in the future. Whether it’s a few months, a year or a few years longer, with the help of God our friends and family will have many more celebrations to come.
Tip: When booking your trip be sure to set a realistic time frame you feel is comfortable to save your funds.
Applying for a Visa
The very first thing we did was book our Visa. We completed our applications online and the next morning we had confirmation back of acceptance. The application took approximately 30 minutes to complete and by doing it yourself through the Australian Government Website you can save £70 per person.
The visa we are here on is the Working Holiday Visa 417. They cost $440 per person- (£275 approx depending on exchange rate). Australia has recently made changes to the visa meaning its may be slightly more difficult to get one granted depending on your job sector as they are now skilled visas. Be sure to do your research on the visa changes and restrictions.
Booking the flight
We booked our flights in February 2017 to leave in the July. Seemed like ages away at the time but the weeks and months soon rolled in and it was no time to we were boarding the flight.
We booked through STA Travel to a cost of £580 per person. We chose to stop of in Dubai for a few days as the flights were super long.
We flew with Emirates who have a 30kg baggage allowance, maximum weight they will allow is 32kg.
Be sure to research how much weight each airline will give you to get more bang for your buck. Our friends recently flew here with Qantas who have a baggage allowance of 2x 23kg checked on bags per person (46kg!).
Temporary Accommodation
We booked to stay in an Airbnb because I couldn’t face staying in a Hostel with all my life belongings! It would be different if I was backpacking, but we had so many valuables I didn’t want to risk getting anything nicked. We booked the Airbnb for 2 weeks so we would have enough time to look for new places. The Airbnb also worked out $2 cheaper per night than what you would pay in a hostel.
Join Social Media Groups
Utilize social media, the Irish Around Sydney Group is incredible for jobs, housing, furniture, cars etc.
There are so many Facebook Groups and depending on which area you are going to there is a specific group you can join. (Irish Around Brisbane, Irish Around Perth, Irish Around Melbourne, Irish Around Darwin)
My Australian To-Do List Before Leaving Home
Give Notice To Workplace
Create a ‘Travel Folder’ to keep all your documentation together
Update CV for Australian Market (Resume)
Gather up any doctor, dentist & optician files
Notify Bank
Appoint a trusted Power of Attorney so they can access and control your funds at home.
Cancel Outgoing Bills
Car insurance
Car Tax
Gym membership
Automated payments/direct debits
Pay off phone contract
Pay off any debits (Student Overdraft)
Compileimportant documents and make photocopies
Passport
Visa Confirmation
Birth Certificate
Driving Licence
Qualifications
Employment References
Bank Statement
P60 from Employer
Travel & Health Insurance
Print a hardcopy of hotel/ Airbnb bookings and any transportation confirmation.
The remainder of the things listed were completed when we arrived in Sydney.
Sim Cards
We bought pay-as-you-go sim cards and topped them up with $40. We chose ‘BOOST’ network as it had the best offering on Data.
Bank Account
We made our way to the ANZ Bank and set ourselves up with individual accounts, a joint bank account and our Superannuation. Our reasoning behind the joint bank account is due to sponsorship. We have no idea if we want to stay a second year yet but we are keeping our options open and if one of us gets sponsored, the other can go De Facto (basically means a couple can use the same sponsorship). In order to do so you need to prove a genuine relationship, therefor opening the joint bank account would strengthen our proof of relationship.
Tip: Be sure to bring your passport to open your account.
Tax File Number
We applied for our Tax File Numbers online as soon as we arrived using our Airbnb’s address. It took one week to arrive.
Tip: When filling out your TFN form with your new employer, the answer to the “Are you a resident for tax purposes?”question is ‘Yes’. Answering ‘No’will result in higher taxes and you are not breaking any rules by selecting ‘Yes’, so you may as well avail of a lower tax rate.
Transport
You will need to get an Opal card. It makes getting around super easy and cheap. You simply tap-on and tap-off public transport with a pre-loaded card. You can purchase the cards for $2 in most shops and then you top it up. You can download the app and register your card, if you ever lose it your balance will be transferred to a new card. The app also allows you to top up your card and set up a direct debit meaning no more queuing at peak times to top it up in the stations.
When on a working holiday visa you can drive on a full driving license until your 12 months runs out, I have heard a few people say its only 3 months, but according to the government website legally you can drive until you get residency.
Medicare
We went to the Medicare Centre and filled out the forms, presenting our passports, visas and utility bills with home addresses.
We are both holders of Irish Passports but we technically reside in the UK so we do qualify for MediCare. All we had to do was prove that we resided in the UK with letters stating our home address (utility bills, counterpart of driving licence).
Tip: Bring a few different letters with your home address along with your passport and visa.
Transferring Money
We used an app called TransferWise to get our cash from our Home accounts to our OZ accounts. Our banks were giving us crappy exchange rates and charging fees for international transfers.
Tip- Be sure to bring your card reader if your bank has issued you one, otherwise its impossible to make large transfers to TransferWise.
Getting a House
We got our house through the ‘Irish Around Sydney’ Facebook group. In Australia you pay a bond which is similar to a security deposit. Our rental bond was $1950 so you do need to factor this into your budget.
Rent is shown per week. Make sure you consider the monthly rent, which is the price per week times 52 weeks divided by 12 months. (i.e. our rent is $500 per week which actually works out at $2167 per month, so its really over $500 per week).
Equipping Our Room
Thankfully our house was fully furnished except for a bed. We ordered our bed from Tommy Swiss which is a relatively cheap website. We got our King Size bed frame and mattress delivered for just under $500.
As for all our other pieces; candles, photo frames, mats, towels, bed sheets, quilt, pillows, makeup organisers etc we bought them all from KMart for around $350.
Uber
If you haven’t already got it, download the Uber app for Taxi journeys.
Shopping
We generally do our groceries in Coles as it is cheaper than the majority of the other supermarkets.
I definitely recommend picking up a few bits in Primark before you leave (especially underwear and swimwear) because even the cheap underwear here isn’t that cheap & it’s not overly cute.
Oh, and teabags- take your fave. My mummy packed me some Punjana and there is nothing quite like a tea from home.
I hope this blogpost helps anyone who is buying a one-way-ticket! If you are moving soon check out my stages of emotion blog, maybe you will be able to relate! I will have future blog posts soon on recommendations on what to do, where to go & where to eat around Sydney!
Shoot me a message if you have any further questions and I will be happy to help.
I hope you enjoy my blogpost on Dubai complete with tips, tricks and personal recommendations.
Let me know if you guys found the below post helpful in anyway.
Chat soon,
GemKen x
Oh My Dubai..!
My boyfriend and I stayed in Dubai for 4 nights as a stopover before continuing our journey to Sydney.
We started our journey from Dublin Airport with Emirates and I cant fault the airline at all. The staff were super attentive to the needs of every passenger on the 7.5 hour flight. The drinks were unlimited and the food, well, it was as nice as it could be considering plane food ain’t the most nutritious or delicious!
Everything was provided (blankets, pillow, earphones etc) but it was the attention to detail with Emirates that impressed me the most. Mid-flight they dished out hot lemon water soaked flannels to freshen up with. The air hostesses were all super friendly, offering helpful advice on where the hot spots were in Dubai.
We stayed in The Habtoor Grand Resort, a 5-star hotel located in Dubai Marina just moments away from Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR).
Day 1 – Monday 3rd July
As the airplane prepared for landing the temperature on the monitor just kept rising. We landed in Dubai at 12:30am to a scorching 39°C. As soon as we exited the airport to join the taxi queue, we encountered the first of the heat; it literally felt like you had opened an oven door with the heat hitting you straight up the face. My glasses fully steamed up, it felt like we were in a sauna, and this was at night time? What on earth were the next few days going to be like? !
The skyline of the city all lit up was amazing to gaze out the taxi window at. (Weird: although the car itself was cool from air conditioning, the windows were radiating heat from the hot air outside)
The taxi to our hotel took approximately 25 minutes and cost 110 Dirham (£24)
When we arrived at our hotel we were welcomed with drinks and escorted to our beautiful room. It was around 2am at this stage and we were both starving so being the foodies we are, we ordered room service and chilled.
Tower King Room with Partial Sea View – 2016 Dirham (£440). Room service cost- 80 Dirham, Pizza & Chips (Approximately £17). Booked through booking.com
Day 2 – Tuesday 4th July
Our first full proper day in Dubai, we started it off with breakfast around 10:30am. We added breakfast onto our stay upon check in costing us 600 Dirham. No day can be started right without a good breakfast and this way saved us a lot of hassle, money and hangry arguments about where to eat.
After breakfast we took off exploring (by ‘exploring’ i technically mean shopping on this occasion, but calling it exploring excited Niall so I ran with it).
We walked outside and got into a perfectly chilled taxi as by this stage it was 42°C and the heat was unbearable. We set off for the Dubai Mall; where do I start on describing the Mall? It has to be seen to be believed, every shop and food place known to mankind is under one roof, complete with an ice rink, underwater zoo, aquarium, cinema and the worlds biggest water fountain display, it literally is every girls dream!!
Breakfast- 100 Dirham each per day for a continental breakfast buffet (approximately £22)
Taxi fare to Mall- 92 Dirham (£20). Time from Hotel to Mall approximately 15minutes.
Although 90% of the time we were just window-shopping and gawking in amazement (partially because our luggage was already overweight, also due to majority of the shops being designer and expensive!), I did manage to pick some items up in Sephora, which I will review for you guys in the upcoming weeks. I could have spent the whole holiday solely in Sephora- it was humongous!
After leaving the mall in the evening we decided to source the train to save us money for the remainder of the trip. The train passes back cost 44 Dirham (£9.50) for the both of us! Just under half of the taxi cost. We selected the daily-unlimited use passes meaning we could come and go as frequent as we wished. The train system was very straightforward to use as well as the cleanest public transport I have ever been on in my life. There are lists of rules to obey whilst commuting; no food, no drinks or no chewing gum are among the many.
On the route home we jumped off at the Mall of the Emirates to do some more ‘exploring’. Again, the Mall was ginormous with so much packed under one roof, including a ski slope!
As the sun went down we were able to manage the heat and decided to go to the beach at 7:30pm. So after a quick stop in the hotel to grab a bikini and swimming trunks, we took a dander down the marina. The sand was like white dust, the sea like bath water and the skyline picturesque. The walk back from the beach revealed a lit up Dubai and what a view it was.
A quick stop back in the hotel to wash the sand from ourselves before heading out to dinner. Tuesday night is ladies night and I was off out to take advantage of my free drink! We went to Pier 7, which consisted of 7 different restaurants; Fume, O’Cacti, Cargo, The Scene, Abd El Wahab, Asia Asia & Atelier M.
We decided on eating dinner in Asia Asia (Floor Six), and it was incredible! We were sat on the balcony overlooking the lit up sky line & the promenade below with all the big expensive yachts docked.
Tuesday night is Ladies Night in many venues across Dubai. The places we went I got 3x free tokens to use towards drinks. This was actually brilliant considering how expensive drinks are in Dubai. Ofcourse mine was a G&T every time but there was a variety of spirits and cocktails to choose from.
A G&T cost around 50 Dirham most places (£10.90).
Day 3- Wednesday 5th July
Day three was special, I woke up to a gift from Niall to mark the beginning of our seventh year together (cutie-patutie).
After stuffing our bellies at breakfast we filled two backpacks and headed on our way for the day. We dandered over to the train station (5 minute walk from our hotel) and got off a stop early so we could walk towards the Dubai Mall in order to catch a birds eye view of the Burj Khalifa.
Tip- take a bottle of water and a change of top in your bag! Sweat patches- not so cute.
After taking a few pictures we walked to the Dubai Mall as we wanted to go to the Aquarium.
The 10-million litre Dubai Aquarium tank is located on the Ground Level of The Dubai Mall. All different packages are available depending on how much you want to see and do.
We opted for the ‘Explorer’ package as this entailed a glass bottom boat trip which was pretty cool. Continuing to the underwater zoo where we seen animals such as penguins, alligators, parrots, iguanas, otters, turtles, crabs, and jelly fish amongst many.
Explorer Package120 Dirhams each (£26)
We came back and had a few drinks in our hotel room and then headed down to the hotel bar. Dubai is strict on people being drunk in public so we always limited ourselves when we were out and had our own drink in the hotel room to enjoy without worry.
Tip- Buy a bottle of drink in duty free to take with you, we didn’t come across one off-licence in Dubai.
Day 4- Thursday 6th July
Our final day in Dubai! We started the day off at Zero Gravity, which is like a mini Ocean Beach (Ibiza). Great music pumping, sunbeds galore, drink, food, a cool ass swimming pool and access to the beach (the ocean was actually hotter than the pool water!). Upon entry we received tokens to use towards food and drink to the value of 75 Dirhams and the meal we had was absolutely gorge.
Entry was 250 Dirhams for a couple (£55) or 150 Dirhams per person (£33). Note: Management only class a couple as a male and female.
We bought tickets in the Mall the day before for an evening slot to visit the the worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. After a security check we were greeted with Arabic Tea and local delicacies before visiting 3 floor levels; 148, 124 &125!
Anyone who knows me knows I don’t do these kind of heights, I walked around the viewing deck with my back against the wall grasping on for dear life to anything around me! It was terrifyingly high, I legit felt dizzy, and nauseous feeling as though I were on a boat! Niall reversed me up to the window whilst I shut my eyes, opening them for a photo and sprinting back inside as soon as I heard the camera click!
Cost to go to the observation decks- 700 Dirham for both of us (£152)
A friend of Nialls had recommended we go to Madinat Jumeriah for a stroll about and some dinner. The Madinat did not disappoint, walking in it had a real authentic Dubai feel about it with a strong smell of essence lined with market stalls. When we got out the other side the hotel resembled a manmade Arabian version of Venice with its cute waterways, little boats and chilled vibes. There was an amazing view of the Burj Al Arab (the worlds only 7* hotel). We went to dinner at Trader Vics in the Madinat and it was beautiful. The atmosphere was buzzing, there were singers, belly dancers and chefs cooking your meal beside your table.
After dinner we returned to our hotel to repack and be set to leave at 6am for our flight to Sydney!
Recommended– Visiting Dubai at a cooler time of the year, it was far too hot and humid to even try lie out for a sun tan! Although i thoroughly enjoyed my Dubai Break, I would defiantly visit at a different time of the year next time so I could experience the Desert Safaris and be able to walk for more than 2 minutes without profusely sweating through every pore in my body!
Currency– Dubai is a closed currency, meaning you can’t buy Dirham outside of the country. Either use a travel card, take cash to exchange in the airport (Sterling) or use your bank card to withdraw Dirhams directly from the ATM machine. There are a number of currency exchange desks in the airport as well as ATMs, the exchange desks in the airport offer a slight lower rate at 4.3 Dirhams to a £1 in comparison to the 4.6 Dirhams offered in the Malls.
Clothing– In certain areas you are expected to be wearing appropriate clothing. No eating dinner with tops off, covering up in holy mosques, walking through the Malls. I always carried a light shirt in my bag that I could pop on if we came across the signs for ‘Appropriate Clothing’.
Time Difference– Dubai is 3 hours ahead of UK time.
Tipping– I tend to tip wherever I go anyway. You aren’t expected to tip in Dubai but its always nice to show your appreciation to people for their services. Plus 5 Dirham is only like £1!
I’ve just booked flights for the trip of a lifetime, somewhere I’ve wanted to visit, dreamed of traveling and exploring for as long as I can remember. Finally I’ve plucked up the courage to take the first step, confirming the date of departure. What is there not to be excited about? Turing the page to a brand new chapter, welcoming a positive lifestyle and having an incredible adventure to look forward to. I talked about it constantly, but strangely it felt like I was talking about someone else’s venture, ‘this couldn’t be real life?’
Stage Two- Organisation
Organising visas, working more shifts for extra Dollaaa, continuously researching my destinations on Google, searching for advice from other travellers and composing my own ‘to-do’ list. Trying to get the balance right between saving for the trip & squeezing in as many memories with friends and family as possible before jetting-off. Suddenly my calendar right up to July was booked up with not a day to spare.
Stage Three- The Single Digit Countdown
9 days to go, at this stage it still felt very surreal. I woke-up just two days before leaving with severe anxiety, knots in my stomach feeling sick with nerves, the fear of the unknown really got to me. The thought of saying goodbye to the most incredible set of friends & family killed me. The realization had hit me like a tonne of bricks and boy was it was a hard feeling to shift. I was doing everything in my power to stay positive not only for myself but for the people around me. The positivity book was out in action and the feel good tunes were pumping, as my boyfriend continuously chanted ‘PMA, PMA’ in my ear! (Positive Mental Attitude).
Stage Four- Packing Up Life
‘Will I take this, should I take that, but will I wear it?’ Prioritising an entire wardrobe into a 32kg limit? Difficult! With the help of friends I created a Yes, No, Maybe pile and whittled down the items of clothing to a more manageable number. I closed my suitcase an hour before leaving for the airport. I couldn’t bring myself to do it any earlier as each stage became more real to me and emotionally I wasn’t ready to ‘seal the deal’.
Stage Five- The Goodbyes
The part where it literally feels like your heart has been ripped from your chest and stomped on. The hardest part about leaving by a long shot. This stage seemed to be missing from all my Google searches; no one prepares you for the heartache of leaving behind your everything. Positively looking at it though, how lucky am I to be surrounded by such incredible people to make saying Goodbye so hard? I know each and every one of them will be standing with open arms on my return, and for that I count myself blessed.
Stage Six- Checked In Sipping G&T’S
The airport drop. Waving goodbye the whole way through the security line my emotions were all over the place. After entering through the other side the positivity started to flow back in and the excitement levels rose. The atmosphere and buzz in the air had me feeling like a child at Christmas. New realisations occurred. Thinking of the endless possibilities on the horizon. Sitting in the airport lounge with a G&T toasting to our year ahead, the excitement was pretty hard to contain.
Stage Seven- Destination One
I landed in my first destination (Dubai) and a feeling of ‘WTF?’ set in, the disbelief that I’ve actually done it, packed my life in a suitcase and am about to take on an adventure of a lifetime. But yet, somehow it feels like Dubai has been an incredible holiday and I will be returning to the Emerald Isle come Friday not moving on to another destination. I’ve learned to turn the fear of the unknown into positive excited energy and I am ready to grasp life and embrace the year ahead!
Just a note to say thank you to everyone for the support so far, the response has been amazing!
I will have my Dubai blog post up on Sunday with detailed recommendations and advice on holidaying here.
We grabbed our bags and headed to the boat to make the return journey to the mainland. We sat top deck on the boat, the music was up full blast and the Bintangs were once again flowing for the final time. We had great craic on the boat and really made the most of every second. The thing was, Niall and I were returning to Australia to complete our regional work so we really wanted to make the most of the holiday, which we most certainly did!
