Ballarat and Phillip Island - tourist destinations in Victoria

 

Penguins at Phillip Islands, Victoria, Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia - My first trip to Australia was one of the memorable trips I had. I was so excited to come to the country as there were a lot of positive feedbacks I heard about the country.

But let me tell my experience first when I applied for the visa. I started my job on July 6, 2009 and I needed to travel to India on July 12 to 31. My next business trip to Australia was August 9. There will be no sufficient time if I apply for the Australian visa when I come back from India so I applied before I went to India.

The visa officer questioned me how come I just join the company and needed to travel to Australia. She called her Supervisor and said "this young guy just join his company and need to apply for visa". I explained to the supervisor that it is part of my job to travel to Asia Pacific to do audit of my company. The Australian supervisor accepted my explaination and my application documents. I went back to the embassy after my business trip in India to have my passport stamped for the visa. They gave me one year multiple entry visa.



Museum inside Ballarat

It was in Australia where I drove on the right hand. It was very confusing to me because I am used to left hand traffic and left  hand driving. Thank God, the car was automatic.

My 2 colleagues and I decided to go to Ballarat on the first weekend. It was about 3 to 4-hour drive from Melbourne. My colleague drove the car on the way going to Ballarat and I drove on the way bawck. I found it difficult because aside from me not used to driving on the right side, I am also not used to the directions in Australia. Thank God again that I survived. Ballarat is city that used to have gold mining. We even went down the old mining site to see the place. I was so scared that I am thinking risks when we go down. We then went out and watch some parades and shows.

We also went to nearby zoo where I saw and touched the Kangaroos in real life. I also was able to see Koala Bear, Tasmanian devil and other animals I haven't seen before.

The second weekend was also fun. My colleague and I went to Phillip Island, the island famous for penguins. The penguins are really superstar in their own because people need to wait for them to come to shore after spending the whole day in the sea. It was so cold and windy at the sea when we were there, but still we waited for penguins to come. They were cute walking from the water to the shore in groups.

After my audit assignment, I went to my brother in Brisbane for few days before going back to Singapore. I will be writing a post regarding my Brisbane and Gold Coast experience as well.

Keep on following my travel blogs. Also, for all your travel needs (airfare, hotel, cruise package, holiday packages, car rental and more), please visit wow amazing holiday website.

Aurangabad, India - the home of UNESCO World Heritage Sites



Ellora Caves, Aurangabad, India

AURANGABAD, Maharastra, India - My first trip to India was in July 2009. It was my first assignment with my current company and I was very excited as I was intrigued by positive and negative comments about the country. I took Singapore Airlines to Mumbai but my final destination was in Aurangabad.

Wikipedia.org describes Aurangabad as a tourist hub, surrounded by many historical monuments, including the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves, which are UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as Bibi Ka Maqbara.

The administrative headquarters of the Aurangabad Division or Marathwada region, Aurangabad is said to be a City of Gates and the strong presence of these can be felt as one drives through the city.

Recently, Aurangabad has been declared as Tourism Capital of Maharashtra. It is also one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Aurangabad is home of manufacturing plants for several multinational companies.  

So what can we do in Aurangabad? There are 3 important places to visit. 

1. Ellora Caves. The first stop was Ellora Caves. The moment we arrived in Ellora Caves, I was really amazed because I like to visit historal and greate structures and Ellora Caves were great examples.  We took a lot of pictures and I was very happy to see these nice historical architectures. We felt privileged when a group of people approached us to have pictures. The locals were very happy to see foreigners and to take pictures with them.

Ellora Caves, Aurangabad, India

2. Bibi Ka Maqbara. Again, according to wikipedia.org, it was commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the late 17th century to build a mausoleum in the memory of his first wife, Dilras Banu Begum (also known as Rabia Durrani).

It bears a striking resemblance to the famous Taj Mahal, the mausoleum of her mother-in-law, Mumtaz Mahal. Aurangzeb was not much interested in architecture, though he had built the small, but elegant, Pearl Mosque at Delhi.

The Bibi Ka Maqbara was the largest structure that he had to his credit. The comparison to the Taj Mahal has resulted in a general ignorance of the monument. The mausoleum is also called the Dakkhani Taj (Taj of the Deccan). It is the most conspicuous landmark of Aurangabad and its historic city.


Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad, India

An inscription found on the main entrance door mentions that this mausoleum was designed and erected by Ata-ullah, an architect and Hanspat Rai, an engineer respectively. Ata-ullah was the son of Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, the principal designer of the Taj Mahal.

Even the mausoleum is considered to be smaller version of the Taj Mahal, I was already overwhelmed to see it. Anyway, during this time, I didn't see the Taj Mahal in Agra so I don't have the comparison of how it looks like. Again, locals came to us to take some photos and we were more than willing to grant their request.



Facade of Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad, India

The facade of Bibi Ka Maqbara was also fascinating. My eyes were filled and heart was satisfied to see these beautiful, historical structures.

3. Ajanta caves. Our second weekend was spent in Ajanta caves. To most visitors, Ajanta Caves are the better than Ellora caves (although both caves are UNESCO world heritage sites).

Wikipedia.org provides information about Ajanta Caves. According to the article, there are about 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 or 650 CE. The caves include paintings and sculptures described by the government Archaeological Survey of India as "the finest surviving examples of Indian art, particularly painting", which are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, with figures of the Buddha and depictions of the Jataka tales.



Ajanta caves, Aurangabad

The caves were built in two phases starting around the 2nd century BCE, with the second group of caves built around 400–650 CE according to older accounts, or all in a brief period between 460 to 480 according to the recent proposals of Walter M. Spink. The site is a protected monument in the care of the Archaeological Survey of India, and since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

They are 100 kilometers(62.13 miles) from the Ellora Caves, which contain Hindu and Jain temples as well as Buddhist caves, the last dating from a period similar to Ajanta. The Ajanta Caves are cut into the side of a cliff that is on the south side of a U-shaped gorge on the small river Waghora (or Wagura), and although they are now along and above a modern pathway running across the cliff they were originally reached by individual stairs or ladders from the side of the river 35 to 110 feet below.



Paintings inside Ajanta caves, Aurangabad

The paintings inside the caves were really priceless. I cannot imagine how the ancient people did those paintings without modern tools like what we have right now. I truly appreciate and commend these people who made something that we can learn and enjoy in these modern times.

Thanks to all the people who made these historical and beautiful works of arts. I hope that they will be preserved and maintained so its not only us who can enjoy but the future generations as well.

 

Keep on following my travel blogs. Also,  for all your travel needs (airfare, hotel, cruise package, holiday packages, car rental and more), please visit wow amazing holiday website.

Sidetrip to Washington D.C., USA

 

United States Capitol Building
Washington DC, USA

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America - After I complete my 2-year contract with Ernst & Young (www.ey.com) Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago, I decided to go back to the Philippines.

I requested our administrative officer to book flight itinerary that I can stay in certain countries for few days. It was approved by the partner in our department because its cheaper than taking the London route which my other colleague took.

My first route was Port of Spain, Trinidad to Miami, Florida (gateway to the USA) to Washington DC where I stayed for 3 days and 2 nights. Then from Washington DC, I went to New York City and then to Narita, Japan and finally to Bangkok, Thailand where I stayed again for 3 days and 2 nights. It was quite a world tour and I love it because I was able to see these places.

After I arrived in Miami, Florida, I needed to collect my 3 big luggages and then checked-in to go to Washington DC. Aside from bringing in the 3 bags, I also have 1 backpack and a computer bag. The airport security stopped me and asked me certain questions. One of the questions I remember was where am I working and when I told him that I am working in Ernst & Young (www.ey.com), he let me go. Miami airport was huge that I walked quite a distance from the luggage collection area to check-in to immigration and to the gate.



The White House, Washington DC, USA

My US visa was I think 5 days before the expiry date when I came to the US. But the immigration officer still stamped 90 days on my passport. I then board the American Airline (www.aa.com) to Washington DC. It was late in the afternoon and raining when I arrived in Washington DC. I took the yellow cab going to my hostel. The driver was quite old but was very helpful. He dropped me to the hostel, then I had my dinner at Subway and sleep.

On my first official day, I walked around my hostel and found out that significant landmarks in the city were just meters away. The weather in October was very nice as it was the beginning of winter time. Thanks to the feedbacks provided by the visitors who stayed in the hostel. I was so happy and excited because, finally, I was able to see the capital city of the most influential country and the biggest economy in the world.



Washington Monument
Washington DC, USA

I saw the United States Capitol Building, the White House, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial where I only see in movies, television, internet or prints.  Wikipedia describes Washington Monument to be made of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss and considered as both the world's tallest stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk, standing 555 feet 5+¹⁄₈ inches (169.294 m). I also visited the War Memorial and was surprised that there were prints of the Philippines and certain areas like Bataan, Manila and Luzon.

On the second day, I went to several museum including the Smithsonian which reminds me of the movie Night at the Museum. It was very enjoyable visit. After visiting the museum, I took a train to Maryland where my 2 former colleagues live and work. They meet me up at the station and we went out for dinner. After the dinner, they drove me back to my hostel in DC.

I left the hostel on the third day at 7:00 am because my flight to New York was 10:00 am. While waiting for my flight, I was updating my Friendster and Facebook and didn't notice that the flight was already boarding. I just noticed it when they announced for last call. I arrived at New York JFK Airport and landed at Terminal 1. However, my next flight was at Terminal 12 and I only have 1 hour and 20 minutes to spare. I quickly ran and took the airport train. It was quite an adventure.

Keep on following my travel blogs. Also, for all your travel needs (airfare, hotel, cruise package, holiday packages, car rental and more), please visit wow amazing holiday website.