Sojourn to Perth

Last week (9 to 16 Dec 13), I took a week-long holiday in Perth with my family, mom, nephew and niece.  We stayed at a company-owned bungalow at Joondalup Resort.  Joondalup is located about 25 km north of Perth.  Apart from the unfortunate heat wave, the stay was pleasant as the bungalow is nested within the renowned Joondalup golf course.  

We left Singapore by SQ at 0010 hours and arrived at Perth International just before 0600 hours.  As we are not due to check-in at 1500 hours, we rested at the airport before picking up our rental vehicle.  Based on locality, we proceeded to Guildford which is situated not far from the airport.  Guildford is the perfect start off point for the visit to Swan Valley as it is where the Swan Valley Visitor Centre is located.  


Next, we set off for Sandalford winery which is perhaps one of the larger wineries in the region. It has a spacious ground comprising the vineyard, a well-stocked cellar door and a restaurant. There is also a alfresco dining area completed with overhanding vines, some of which are a century old.

 






As we did not want to travel several hours to the Margaret River region, the next best thing to do was to visit the Swan branch of the famous MR Chocolate Company.  The attraction is the free sampling of its chocolate chips (Dark, milk and white) as well as a viewing of its production process.  Other than chocolates, the ice cream is delicious and value for money in Singapore context (about S$6.50 for two large scoops).



  




Lastly, we proceeded to the Caversham Wildlife Park where one can feed free roaming kangaroos of all sizes, cuddle koala, have picture taken with wombats and other reptiles, and watch an outback farm show complete with sheep shearing.  Personally, I find Caversham caters for a complete Australian wildlife experience compared to places like Cohunu  and other animal attractions near Perth.

 

Before checking in, we stopped over at Lakeside Joondalup for lunch and grocery shopping.  The kids took the opportunity to shop for clothings at Target, Kmart as well as BigW.  Contrary to what we may think, there are spectacular bargains at these giants.

Agra Fort

If you are in Agra, the other site besides the Taj Mahal which should not be miss is the Agra Fort. Agra Fort, also a World Heritage site, was the seat of the Mughal empire. This is where, Emperor Shah Jahan who was responsible for the Taj Mahal, was imprisoned by his son. Although imprisoned in the Red Fort, it offered a perfect view of the Taj Mahal as the fort is located about 2.3km northwest from the mausoleum.

Picture of the Taj Mahal from the entrance of the Agra Fort for tourists.Arrive late in the afternoon close to the closing time at dusk.
Heading towards the entrance which is divided by a moat.
Entrance to Agra Fort with the chain to the draw bridge visible.

Pictures of the Taj

Walkway on the right side of the water causeway

Water causeway fronting the Taj Mahal

Picture from the Great Gate

Another view of the Taj Mahal from the side walkway

Side view of the Taj

View of the Great Gate

Taj Mahal Mosque

Entrance to the Mausoleum

Taj One of the New Seven Wonders of the World

I visited India recently and I had what I think would be my once in a life time opportunity to see a symbol of eternal love - the renowned Taj Mahal in the historical city of Agra. Agra is the seat of government for the Mughal Empire which ruled India between the 16th and 19th Century.

Located about 200km to the southeast of New Delhi, India's capital, Agra is located in Uttar Pradesh.

There are three means to get to Agra from New Delhi - air, rail and road. In my case, it was the railway. Our group had checked in quite earlier in the morning at about midnight. After washing up, we basically had about 3 hours sleep before the morning call as the train to Agra, the Shatabdi Express, departs at 6.15am from New Delhi Railway Station.

Shatabdi Express coming alongside at exactly 6.15am

The train arrived on time. We had our luggages with us but the carriage have a storage compartment large to accommodate them. Having our luggages with us also solve the problem of a scramble when we arrive at Agra.

The train was comfortable but unfortunately the train schedule in India needs to be improved. Instead of the specific two hours, we arrived at Agra more than an hour late. Most of the time lost was taken up waiting for other trains to bypass on their way towards Delhi or beyond.

The saving grace was that the train fare include provision for breakfast. Being a coffee drinker, I am disappointed with the diluted coffee that they serve in the north.

Egg omelette, frieds and peas (quite tasty)

Nice lemony drink which was served with our hot drinks (tea/coffee)

In Agra, we have arrange for a coach to bring us around and the first cultural stop was to Taj Mahal, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. It is truly a work of immense beauty. Yes, it is huge, especially because it was built as a mausoleum.

Oh, before I forget. Please note that Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays. If you are planning to go there on your own, please keep this in mind.

To get to the entrance, we had to transfer to electric power vehicles from about a km away. For the physical fit, it is just a few minutes away.

The main entrance is located to the east and there is segregation between male and female. As the visit took place during the 19th Commonweath Games, security was tight.

Here are some pictures I took of the complex.

Path leading to the Great Gate

Posing with the Great Gate in the background

The Great Gate and many people milling through the entrance. Beyond is the Taj.

Before we are allowed to go into the main building, we had to put protective covers over our footwears.


Unfortunately, no photography is allowed in the mausoleum.

Just a note, we stayed at the Hotel Clarks Shiraz. If you do not have time to do shopping, there is a small shop in the hotel which sells souvenirs at relatively good rates. You can buy a replica of the Taj Mahal although I am not sure if it made of limestone. Even then, it makes a good gift for friends and relatives.

Pixs of Kids Enjoying Themselves

This is the artificial ice which Yongpyong uses for its slopes at the start of their skiing season. It is coarser and those at the edge of the ski slopes resembles shaved ice like the "ice balls" which I had in my childhood.

From one of the documentaries I have seen on TV, large sprinklers are used to create the artificial snow. This method costs more and there are concerns over environmental issues. See Responsible Skiing.

[Top: Pathway leading to the main hall hosting the ski centre and the gondola to Dragon Peak.]