2013 Christmas Sale Melbourne Trip

I must be the first mum ever to go gallivanting across the ocean just a week before her only daughter is about to get married...LOL. But hey, it was Christmas sale in Melbourne and the hubby needed help with his Corelle shopping spree... So there we were in Melbourne on the 26th to the 30th of December 2013 leaving the daughter to manage on her own with the wedding preparation (the solemnization ceremony which was on New Year's day). But I must hand it to her, she had everything planned the way she wanted (with some help from Daddy, financial-wise of course...hmm) and Alhamdulillah everything went smoothly on the day...(I told her she'd make a great Wedding Planner if she decides to quit her job...AND she isn't likely to turn into a Bridezilla if it's someone else's wedding...hehe)

Anyway, the Corelle-shopping and packing for shipping took about 2 days and the rest of the days we were there were spent sight-seeing and fruit-picking...so here are the pictures of the trip:

Hubby selecting his dinnerware..

Apparently mainly Asians shop for Corelle..

These are all ours..

You do not want to queue behind us OK...it'd take you a couple of hours!

Next stop Fossil - their watches are popular side-sales of 'Corelle Craze'

Have to queue just to get in...

Great value when there's a sale of these watches...

Off to Philip Island to see the Penguin Parade

Waiting for sunset when the penguins will emerge from the ocean (God it was freezing)

We aren't allowed to take pictures of the penguins as they 'parade' to their nests so I took pictures from the museum there instead

Here's the hubby beside one of the biggest kind..but the kind in Australia is the little one on the right..

Interesting information about the penguins

The penguins take good care of their chicks...masyaAllah

...but apparently the partners don't necessarily stay together for life..

Fascinating fact..

The next day - to Sorrento...we were going on a boat trip!

Hubby in front of the 'Moonraker Dolphin Swims'

Bang Ngah and the family he's taking on the trip (the son runs a Personal Tour Guide business - check out his FB: XploreVIC Private Tours)

"In case the boat sinks this is what you should do...."

Meeting new friends..

Good bye new friend...hello dreamland!

Here comes the seals!

Approaching the Seals' Hut..

Zoomed picture...you do not want to get too close, you'll die of the smell.seriously!

Some went for the swim with the seals package...I'd rather watch thank you

Here's another boat we saw on the trip that was in a spot of trouble...

Back at last on firm ground...unfortunate for our group, we didn't spot any dolphins..*sigh*

Next; strawberry-picking..

Hubby choosing the perfect ones...

Sweet and succulent...!

While others pick cherries from the ground, the hubby prefers picking on the tree..

My first cherry-picking ever

Yummy...I love cherries!

Our harvest to take home..

The hubby packing his Corelle - ready for shipping. Really hard work..especially the loose pieces

Soon it was time to go home..we hoped to go on the midnight flight on the 29th but it was already full so we had to spend the night at the airport and catch the next  morning's flight...it's OK, we're used to sleeping in airports..LOL

The hubby too tired already...

Melbourne International Airport has a prayer room at Arrivals downstairs...MasyaAllah

Great ablution area...

They didn't forget the Qibla direction...however the prayer room is for all faiths and both genders but Alhamdulillah...Allah makes things easy for us

Alhamdulillah, we had a great time.. By the way, the hubby had just been again to Melbourne a couple of days ago for another Corelle-shopping trip. I didn't go because I had to attend a Mukhayyam. Maybe I'll write about it next..