Australia: Car Rental in Melbourne

[Tohto]

On 11/18/2024 at 10:10 PM, Heartlander said:

By the way I just back from the tiring Tassie/Mel trip and think my experience could help some bros/sis here embarking on such trips soon.

Simcard: In Tassie, Telstra and Optus cover most of the places but not all, especially those thinly populated places such as Cradle Mountain and Grampian National Park. So the best bet is to get simcards from both Telcos to be safe and Google Map navigation cannot work within connectivity, unless you downloaded offline version of the areas which is definitely a good idea if you can remember to do. ICC definitely among the recommneded vendors doing such business.

Fruit picking: Both the strawberries and cherries season just started in Naturipe in Melbourne 3 days ago. The slots and stocks are limited so better to go early if you intend to do that. Alternatively for cherries picking stay in a landed house just 5min for Melbourne Airport which has 3 cherry trees just at the backyard with cherries still yellow now during my stay. It is very spacious with 3 bedrooms that can accommodate 10 pax and value for money at only S$211/nite for 6pax occupancy with full kitchen and washer dryer. It is also few minutes away from Airport West mall and DFO Essendon which got some good deals if lucky. I got a pair of Ultraboost DNA 1.0 at only S$68, foregoing Ultraboost 22 at S$115 as the 1.0 is too good to give up. I prefer to stay in landed where parking is free and much more relax, and driving into Queen Victoria Market is only a< 20min so not too bad.

Bay of Fires in /tassie: No need to go all the way there to admire the red seasisde boulders when plenty are available in Bicheno. Just stay at Bicheno By the Bay and you can literally walk to the beach within 1 min and see the penguins if you are lucky. My group was lucky to spot a penguin hiding among the rocks and shrubs there. Also can trek the Whaler's Lookout just beside it to have birdeye's view of the whole area.

Cradle Mountain lodging: I highly recommend to stay at AAA Granary Accommodation which offers whole house lodgings at cheap price and really beautiful. It is about 45min drive away from Cradle Mountain Visitor Center but only 15min away from Sheffield town which is the nearest in that area with a IGA supermarket and plenty of restaurants. The place has one resident horse and 3 donkeys that would come to you in the morning if you wave at them.

Needing to go toilet: If need to use toilet, just google public toilet and plenty would show up. Aussie gov has a habit of building public toilets along the beaches and in parks and even town centre. This is good especially if you have young and elderly.

I really enjoyed more this time round but do not think going back any time soon and getting tired of the place already haha. I will share more on my car renting experience over the next few days when more free.

Thanks for the trip report.

How many days for your whole trip?

[Heartlander]

On 11/19/2024 at 10:08 AM, Tohto said:

Thanks for the trip report.

How many days for your whole trip?

2 weeks in Tasmania, and 1 week in Melbourne.

I attached a few pictures of my last lodging with 3 cherry trees in the huge backyard.

[Tohto]

On 11/19/2024 at 11:34 AM, Heartlander said:

2 weeks in Tasmania, and 1 week in Melbourne.

I attached a few pictures of my last lodging with 3 cherry trees in the huge backyard.

Nice.

 

[Lala81]

On 11/18/2024 at 10:10 PM, Heartlander said:

By the way I just back from the tiring Tassie/Mel trip and think my experience could help some bros/sis here embarking on such trips soon.

Simcard: In Tassie, Telstra and Optus cover most of the places but not all, especially those thinly populated places such as Cradle Mountain and Grampian National Park. So the best bet is to get simcards from both Telcos to be safe and Google Map navigation cannot work within connectivity, unless you downloaded offline version of the areas which is definitely a good idea if you can remember to do. ICC definitely among the recommneded vendors doing such business.

Fruit picking: Both the strawberries and cherries season just started in Naturipe in Melbourne 3 days ago. The slots and stocks are limited so better to go early if you intend to do that. Alternatively for cherries picking stay in a landed house just 5min for Melbourne Airport which has 3 cherry trees just at the backyard with cherries still yellow now during my stay. It is very spacious with 3 bedrooms that can accommodate 10 pax and value for money at only S$211/nite for 6pax occupancy with full kitchen and washer dryer. It is also few minutes away from Airport West mall and DFO Essendon which got some good deals if lucky. I got a pair of Ultraboost DNA 1.0 at only S$68, foregoing Ultraboost 22 at S$115 as the 1.0 is too good to give up. I prefer to stay in landed where parking is free and much more relax, and driving into Queen Victoria Market is only a< 20min so not too bad.

Bay of Fires in /tassie: No need to go all the way there to admire the red seasisde boulders when plenty are available in Bicheno. Just stay at Bicheno By the Bay and you can literally walk to the beach within 1 min and see the penguins if you are lucky. My group was lucky to spot a penguin hiding among the rocks and shrubs there. Also can trek the Whaler's Lookout just beside it to have birdeye's view of the whole area.

Cradle Mountain lodging: I highly recommend to stay at AAA Granary Accommodation which offers whole house lodgings at cheap price and really beautiful. It is about 45min drive away from Cradle Mountain Visitor Center but only 15min away from Sheffield town which is the nearest in that area with a IGA supermarket and plenty of restaurants. The place has one resident horse and 3 donkeys that would come to you in the morning if you wave at them.

Needing to go toilet: If need to use toilet, just google public toilet and plenty would show up. Aussie gov has a habit of building public toilets along the beaches and in parks and even town centre. This is good especially if you have young and elderly.

I really enjoyed more this time round but do not think going back any time soon and getting tired of the place already haha. I will share more on my car renting experience over the next few days when more free.

I go lot of playgrounds and small parks, have public toilet and also have water cooler. 

Ironically the standalone supermarkets usually don't have toilets for customers. I had to go to the staff toilet at an ALDI. 

Guess they are scared of druggies. 

 

Edited Tuesday at 04:24 AM by Lala81

[Tohto]

On 11/19/2024 at 12:23 PM, Lala81 said:

I go lot of playgrounds and small parks, have public toilet and also have water cooler. 

Ironically the standalone supermarkets usually don't have toilets for customers. I had to go to the staff toilet at an ALDI. 

Guess they are scared of druggies. 

 

Public toilet availability is the worst in NYC.

[Wt_know]

On 11/19/2024 at 12:43 PM, Tohto said:

Public toilet availability is the worst in NYC.

even there is one, no dare to go in …  

[Lala81]

On 11/19/2024 at 12:43 PM, Tohto said:

Public toilet availability is the worst in NYC.

That one have to buy a drink or snack at macs. 

[Lala81]

On 11/19/2024 at 12:46 PM, Wt_know said:

even there is one, no dare to go in …  

Need to have open carry gun then u dare to go... 

[Tohto]

On 11/19/2024 at 12:51 PM, Lala81 said:

That one have to buy a drink or snack at macs. 

Making almost not drinking water the whole day..

In contrast now in China big city, publuc toilet are all relatively clean even those on the street.

Edited Tuesday at 05:05 AM by Tohto

[teomingern]

On 11/18/2024 at 10:10 PM, Heartlander said:

By the way I just back from the tiring Tassie/Mel trip and think my experience could help some bros/sis here embarking on such trips soon.

Simcard: In Tassie, Telstra and Optus cover most of the places but not all, especially those thinly populated places such as Cradle Mountain and Grampian National Park. So the best bet is to get simcards from both Telcos to be safe and Google Map navigation cannot work within connectivity, unless you downloaded offline version of the areas which is definitely a good idea if you can remember to do. ICC definitely among the recommneded vendors doing such business.

Fruit picking: Both the strawberries and cherries season just started in Naturipe in Melbourne 3 days ago. The slots and stocks are limited so better to go early if you intend to do that. Alternatively for cherries picking stay in a landed house just 5min for Melbourne Airport which has 3 cherry trees just at the backyard with cherries still yellow now during my stay. It is very spacious with 3 bedrooms that can accommodate 10 pax and value for money at only S$211/nite for 6pax occupancy with full kitchen and washer dryer. It is also few minutes away from Airport West mall and DFO Essendon which got some good deals if lucky. I got a pair of Ultraboost DNA 1.0 at only S$68, foregoing Ultraboost 22 at S$115 as the 1.0 is too good to give up. I prefer to stay in landed where parking is free and much more relax, and driving into Queen Victoria Market is only a< 20min so not too bad.

Bay of Fires in /tassie: No need to go all the way there to admire the red seasisde boulders when plenty are available in Bicheno. Just stay at Bicheno By the Bay and you can literally walk to the beach within 1 min and see the penguins if you are lucky. My group was lucky to spot a penguin hiding among the rocks and shrubs there. Also can trek the Whaler's Lookout just beside it to have birdeye's view of the whole area.

Cradle Mountain lodging: I highly recommend to stay at AAA Granary Accommodation which offers whole house lodgings at cheap price and really beautiful. It is about 45min drive away from Cradle Mountain Visitor Center but only 15min away from Sheffield town which is the nearest in that area with a IGA supermarket and plenty of restaurants. The place has one resident horse and 3 donkeys that would come to you in the morning if you wave at them.

Needing to go toilet: If need to use toilet, just google public toilet and plenty would show up. Aussie gov has a habit of building public toilets along the beaches and in parks and even town centre. This is good especially if you have young and elderly.

I really enjoyed more this time round but do not think going back any time soon and getting tired of the place already haha. I will share more on my car renting experience over the next few days when more free.

Nice tips bro... interested in your strawberries and cherries picking adventure... it's something my wife and kids haven't done before...

[Tohto]

On 11/20/2024 at 7:27 PM, teomingern said:

Nice tips bro... interested in your strawberries and cherries picking adventure... it's something my wife and kids haven't done before...

Summer in Australia is easily find one.

Hokkaido also many around during summer.

Photo are fun Hokkaido. 

This are white cherry. Which is more sweet than the purple one. 

The farm I visited has all type of fruits depends on month visit. 

Cherry, strawberry,  grapes, peach,  apple, pear etc..

Edited 3 hours ago by Tohto

[teomingern]

On 11/21/2024 at 12:52 PM, Tohto said:

Summer in Australia is easily find one.

Hokkaido also many around during summer.

Photo are fun Hokkaido. 

This are white cherry. Which is more sweet than the purple one. 

The farm I visited has all type of fruits depends on month visit. 

Cherry, strawberry,  grapes, peach,  apple, pear etc..

These are called Rainer cherries if I am not wrong...

Problem is I can only visit in Dec for Oz cos of my kids... so that's kind of not optimal for cherry & strawberry picking... or still ok?

Edited 2 hours ago by teomingern

[Tohto]

On 11/21/2024 at 2:23 PM, teomingern said:

These are called Rainer cherries if I am not wrong...

Problem is I can only visit in Dec for Oz cos of my kids... so that's kind of not optimal for cherry & strawberry picking... or still ok?

Aussie cherry & strawberry are in Dec.

I am planning to go for one near the GOR.

https://www.scstrawberryfields.com.au/

 

 

[Lala81]

On 11/21/2024 at 2:23 PM, teomingern said:

These are called Rainer cherries if I am not wrong...

Problem is I can only visit in Dec for Oz cos of my kids... so that's kind of not optimal for cherry & strawberry picking... or still ok?

strawberry definitely good season. Cherries plus minus.

I did my strawberry picking in last week of Nov.

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Lala81

[teomingern]

On 11/21/2024 at 2:34 PM, Lala81 said:

strawberry definitely good season. Cherries plus minus.

I did my strawberry picking in last week of Nov.

 

That's nice to know... really wish to pick cherries... that haven't done before derive going to Oz quite a few times... heh heh...