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Easy Peasy Passport Photos at Australia Post

March 12, 2016 / Travel / 27 Comments

Brought to you by Nuffnang and Australia Post

Every jet setting kid needs a passport – or two, if you’ve got dual nationality like little Cheese does!

As she was born in New York, her first passport was actually an American one, at four weeks of age, followed by her Australian one, at three months of age.

Yes, we were planning our first overseas flight with her pretty much from birth. At three months of age she jetted off to San Francisco, followed by Australia a month later. A little world traveller from the get go.

What I had underestimated about the whole process was how hard it was to get passport photos of an infant that would conform to the required standards! You know the standards your photos need to have? Head in a certain position, expression just so, hair just so – well, kids, even babies, have the same requirements. This is particularly tricky with babies, as they need to be held for photos, and the person holding the baby cannot appear in the photo. Argh!

Getting passport photos taken the first time around was a very difficult process, requiring the person who took them for us at a local pharmacy in Brooklyn to re-shoot them over and over and over again until we got them just right. It was painful and stressful and we all felt like having a good cry afterwards.

Taking Cheese around the world with her passports and baby photos in them has gotten entertaining of late, as she no longer looks like that squishy baby in the front. Her passports are both up for renewal so it’s finally time to retake the photos.

This time around, we went to Australia Post for her passport photos. They have instant photo-taking services in around 1300 of their Australian retail outlets, making the process that much easier for everyone involved.

The Australia Post staff have all taken many, many passport photos of children and babies, so they know all the tricks to getting the shot right the first time, with minimal stress for the whole family.

We were able to drop by one afternoon to our local Australia Post and quickly have photos taken for Cheese’s American and Australian passports – it was great to get the photos taken all in one go, and to have the Australia Post staff print them to the correct specifications for each passport.

What you need to know about getting your child’s passport photos taken at Australia Post:

It’s fast
There’s no waiting around. The photos are ready in minutes.

It’s convenient
You can have the photos taken and organise your passport application during the same
visit.

They’re compliant
With experts taking the photos, there’s no need to worry about whether or not they will meet the strict requirements. If you submit your images to the relevant authority within the necessary timeframe and for some reason the photos aren’t accepted, you can take them back to the same post office and they will replace them at no cost.

They’ve gone digital
As well as the instant photos you will receive printed, you can also buy a digital copy of your photo for use in online applications.

They’re internationally compliant
You can get compliant passport photos taken for UK, USA and New Zealand passports, too. Just be sure to tell the staff member taking the photos as each country has different guidelines. They may do other countries’ passport photos as well, but you’ll need to confirm with the post office.

Pricing and payment methods
It costs $16.95 for a set of high-resolution full colour photographs, printed on quality gloss paper, or $19.95 for a printed set and an emailed digital copy.
You can pay with cash, MasterCard or Visa, or by EFTPOS.
Please note: You’ll need two identical ID photos for an Australian or British passport application.

Find your nearest participating Australia Post

Webjet: The Best Travel Planning Apps

February 24, 2016 / Travel / 2 Comments

If you’re on the go (and, ahem, on your phone) all the time like I am, this great travel app from Webjet is going to make your holiday planning and booking so much easier. The app enables you to search for flights, hotels and car hire and then book them, all in the one app.

I do most of my travel research on my trusty phone, so I really enjoyed using the app to quickly find the best deals within my budget when planning out upcoming Hawaii trip. I found the app to be fast, very easy to use, and also very thorough. It had all of the options I needed to filter choices with when booking a family holiday.

The smart app knows what destinations you’re looking for and auto populates with the correct airport.

Select the number of adult and children.

Your options are presented in an easy-to-read manner.

Sort by departure time, airline, price, stops or duration.

You can also select filters from the bottom of the screen to refine your search by airlines or stops. I prefer “no stops”.

The date selector is easy and intuitive. Vastly easy to navigate than many hotel websites!

The hotel booking tool is similarly easy to use. The selection criteria makes it easy to find hotels when travelling with kids.

The hotel lists come with TripAdvisor ratings that you can click through to read.

Sort hotels by recommended, price, star rating, hotel name, special offers, or, my favourite, TripAdvisor review scores.

Using the filter button at the bottom allows you to select hotels matching a particular rating ot TripAdvisor review score.

Choose the map view to see hotels in the area you would like to stay. Zoom in and out for more detail.

Clicking on the hotel will bring up its location, price for your dates, star rating and TripAdvisor review.

Click on the hotel for further information. I won’t be staying here!

Select to view the price by “per night” or “total price”. I prefer “per night” as I find it easier to compare various hotels this way to see which gives me a better deal.

All your options are listed when you select the hotel. Choose your room type.

Total price and your dates for review.

Pay directly within the app.

Next – car hire. I love how easy this app makes it to book your hotel, flight and car hire all at once.

A variety of cars can be selected.

Sort by car price, company name, car type or make.

Filter by car type or make.

Choose to see the price “per day” or “total”.

All the info you need. How many people its fits, how many bags, info on the shuttle bus from the airport to the car hire, price for the duration, what’s included for your price.

Choose your extras – all of your family needs are here!

Pay within the app.

I really enjoyed the ease with which this app made researching and booking hotel, flights and car hire.

Try the Webjet app for free on iOS and Android.

This post was written in conjunction with Webjet. All opinions are my own.

Austinmer Beach: NSW’s Best Beaches For Families

February 21, 2016 / NSW, Travel, Wollongong / 4 Comments

Sydney’s beaches often get all the attention. It’s easy to see why – they’re glamorous, hip and all over Instagram. Head an hour south out of Sydney, however, and you’ll find beaches that are just as beautiful, but without the crowds.

Austinmer Beach is one such beach. It’s one of Wollongong’s most popular beaches, located 25 minutes north of Wollongong’s CBD and under an hour south of Sydney. It’s an easy drive south, too. The beach is located off Lawrence Hargrave Drive, with a large, free carpark and cafes lining the road opposite.

Local families love Austinmer Beach, particularly the fenced in playground (sadly no shade cloth) that has plenty of activities for kids of a variety of ages. The rock pools are a major draw for this beach, too.

Located at the south end of the beach, they attract children and adults alike with their amazing ocean life. We spotted fish, a crab, sea snails, an anemone, and some freaky looking creatures that none of us could identify.

Also at the south end of the beach are two large ocean pools.

Where to eat:

Shell’s Diner
An old-school fish and chips shop that makes fab lentil burgers and delicious fish and chips at a reasonable price.
Shell’s Diner: 106 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Austinmer. Hours Mon-Thurs 7:30am-4pm Fri-Sun 7:30am-8pm

Austi Beach Cafe
A wide variety of breakfast and lunch options, plus gelato and afternoon tea. We highly enjoyed their fresh, warm scones.
Austi Beach Cafe: 104 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Austinmer. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4pm Sat-Sun 8am-4:30pm

Austinmer Beach
Austinmer NSW 2515

Fenced playground
Bathrooms
Lifeguard (Sept-April)
Rock pools
Cafes
Ocean Baths

Get Directions

Looking for more things to do in Wollongong? Click here for a great guide to the area.

9 Things To Do In Venice

February 15, 2016 / Europe, Italy, Travel, Venice / 2 Comments

Venice to me is like a trip back through time. A place with narrow alleyways leading to hidden restaurants and ancient cathedrals, with water lapping gently at the sidewalk as you walk along the canals. It’s literally a place out of a fairytale and considering it is slowly sinking, I think it should be on every traveller’s must-see list before it’s gone forever.

The capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region, Venice is built on over 100 little islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. Images of its stone buildings rising out of the water have brought 20 million tourists a year from all over the world to wander through its maze-like alleys. There are no cars and roads in Venice – just boats on canals. It’s a unique place steeped in history that I would love to visit again.

When you visit Venice, whether it be a day or a week, be sure to do the following:

1. Get lost
Put down the map and just wander the alleys and explore the tiny squares they will take you to. Venice is at its most authentic when you get off the beaten path and just go where your feet take you to.

2. Take in the view
Catch an elevator 98 meters up to the top of the San Marco Campanile and get a birds eye view of this amazing city. At street level Venice is a rabbit’s warren of twists and turns and you need to get up high to really see the full impact of this city perched on top of the ocean. Get there early or just before closing to beat the queues.

3. Eat gelato
Ingest as much of it as you can, from chocolate and vanilla to tiramisú and stracciatella. Gelato contains less butterfat and air than regular ice cream and has no artificial flavorings or preservatives. Basically gelato is heaven and the Venetians do it damn well.

4. Go to church
From its Byzantine domes and luminous mosaics to the 24-carat gold leaf paint, Basilica di San Marco is a sight that won’t be forgotten. Dress modestly when you visit (ie cover your knees and shoulders).

5. Be a bird of a feather
Don’t be tempted to feed any of the 130,000 pigeons that frequent Venice’s historic centre as it’s now banned. If you’re tempted to get the classic “bird on head” shot, you’ll need to lure the pigeons without birdseed that was once sold in Piazza San Marco. The crack down is an effort to curb the “immense damage” caused by the birds, which costs taxpayers €16 to €23 per year in cleanup costs.

6. See the city by sea
Technically see the city by canals, but it doesn’t have the same ring to it. If gondolas aren’t your thing, hire a kayak, flag down a water taxi or relax aboard a cruise. This city is meant to be visited and viewed at water level.

7. Soak up history
A visit to the Doges Palace is a lesson in Gothic architecture and Italian opulence. Palazzo Ducale, or Doge’s Palace, was the home of the Doge (the elected ruler of Venice) and the seat of its government for centuries.

8. Carb load
I had the best spaghetti carbonara in a tiny hole in the wall cafe in Venice. Forget any carb-free diet you might be on and just enjoy the best pasta of your life.

9. Hear voices from the past
Join countless other tourists taking a selfie at the Bridge of Sighs, the bridge that crosses the channel between the ducal palace and prison. Built in 1962, it’s a somewhat notorious sight as the bridge was used to move prisoners directly from the court to their prison cell. The name “Bridge of Sighs” came from the vivid imaginations of the locals as they thought they heard (or perhaps really did hear!) the complaints of the convicted prisoners who crossed it.

First time in Venice? Check out this guide.

The Most Perfect Light: Antelope Slot Canyons

February 13, 2016 / Arizona, Travel, USA / 3 Comments

Some places stay with you your entire life, even if your time there was fleeting. My visit to the Antelope Slot Canyon was one of these times. I actually saw the canyons way back in 2007 when I did a road trip around this part of the USA – well before I started blogging! High on my list to see were these canyons, with their etherial colours and shapes. I thought at the time – and still feel today – like they were something out of a dream. Too incredibly beautiful to be real.

The Antelope Canyon is a “slot canyon” located on Navajo land east of Page, Arizona. The Antelope Canyon includes two slot canyon sections, referred to as Upper Antelope Canyon or The Crack; and Antelope Canyon or The Corkscrew.

We visited the Upper Antelope Canyon, the Navajo name for which is Tsé bighánílíní, meaning “the place where water runs through rocks.”

The name is very literal, as the Antelope Canyon was formed by erosion of Navajo Sandstone, mostly through flash flooding.

The canyons have been accessible only by tour since 1997, which is when the Navajo Tribe made it a Navajo Tribal Park.

The upper canyon is the most popular to visit because it’s so incredibly photogenic (it’s also the easiest to access, with the entire length of the canyon at ground level and no climbing required). Beams of light radiate down through the slots in the canyon roof, bouncing off the walls and creating the most spectacular rays of light and coloured rocks. Depending which time of year and day you visit, the canyons will look different. The best time to see the canyons if you’re after this kind of light is summer, during the middle of the day – the beams are most often when the sun is in the middle of the sky, During winter, the colours are more muted.

My prime purpose for visiting the canyons was to get photos like these. And I’ll tell you, they weren’t easy to get. I was on a tour group with many other tourists, so in order to get these photos with no one in them, I had to lag behind the group, or walk slightly ahead. Lighting in the canyons is really tricky too. I brought my tripod and I’m pretty sure it’s the only reason these photos are in focus.

To visit the Antelope Canyons, purchase tickets for a tour in nearby Page. They range from $35 to $82 per person, depending on the time of the day and length of the tour.

The Best Castles In Europe: Neuschwanstein Castle

February 11, 2016 / Europe, Germany, Travel / 0 comment

Many moons before the little Cheese came along, hubbie and I travelled foot loose and fancy free all over Europe. One place that has stayed with me as something out of a fairytale is Neuschwanstein Castle.

This castle is one of the most beautiful (and popular!) in Europe, and is a place that photographs do no justice to. It’s impossible to capture in a picture the majesty of this spectacular castle, perched high in the mountains.

We visited Neuschwanstein Castle, nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival palace, when we were visiting Munich. We did a day tour out to the castle that included a fantastic bike ride around the country side, and ended up at the village Hohenschwangau, at the bottom of the castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle was home to King Ludwig II of Bavaria, a supposedly shy king who built the palace to keep the public at an arms length. It’s ironic that after the solitary monarch’s death his home is now one of the most popular of all the palaces and castles in Europe, with around 1.4 million visitors a year.

Our visit was on a busy day, but the timed tour groups meant that the inside of the castle never felt crowded. It was fascinating learning about the shy king who lived in such a magnificent dwelling – like something out of a children’s fairytale. Out on the terraces people gathered in larger amounts trying to take selfies or admiring the view. It was a lot more chaotic than the photos would lead you to believe.

Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle can only be visited within a guided tour.

Entrance tickets for Neuschwanstein Castle can only be bought at the Ticketcenter in the village of Hohenschwangau below the castle. More info. To get from the ticket office to the castle, you can take the 30-40 minute walk (Around 1.5km uphill) or check out these other options.

Info from the website: Your entrance ticket is valid for a guided tour of the castle at a particular time. We would like to explicitly point out that the tours begin punctually. Please allow sufficient time to get up to the castle, as if you arrive too late you will no longer be able to participate in the tour.

Please note that during the high season entrance tickets for a particular day may be sold out. We would therefore ask you to reserve your tickets well in advance.

Neuschwanstein Castle
Hours: 19 March to 15 October: 9am-6pm
16 October to 18 March: 10am-4pm
Open daily except 1 January and 24 / 25 / 31 December
Admission: From 12 euros (adult) / 11 euros concession). Children and young people under 18 are free.

Getting there (c/o the castle website)
By car or coach
Take the A7 motorway (direction Ulm-Kempten-Füssen) until the end. From Füssen first follow the road B17 to Schwangau, then the signs to Hohenschwangau
or take the A7 motorway until the exit Kempten and then the road B12 to Marktoberdorf. Follow the road B16 to Roßhaupten – OAL I to Buching – and then take the road B17 to Schwangau and Hohenschwangau.

By public transport
Take the train (www.bahn.com) to Füssen, then the bus RVA/OVG 73 in the direction to Steingaden / Garmisch-Partenkirchen or the bus RVA/OVG 78 in the direction to Schwangau until you reach the stop Hohenschwangau / Alpseestraße.

Information about the local bus lines: http://www.rvo-bus.de

Read about more beautiful castles in Romania here.

Entering the Forbidden City, Beijing

February 5, 2016 / Asia, China, Travel / 7 Comments

During my 2007 trip to Beijing, we were taken to see the Forbidden City – one of China’s biggest tourist attractions, with around 7 million visitors a year (up to 80,000 a day!).

This spectacular palace was home to 24 imperial Chinese emperors from the Ming dynasty in 1420 to the end of the Qing dynasty in 1912. The Forbidden City is located right in the center of Beijing (near Tiananmen Square) and is now home to the Palace Museum.

For 500 years the palace was off limits to the public, hence the name “Forbidden City”. Nowadays you can enter what is the largest palace complex in the world for around $10AUD. The palace is also China’s best-preserved and largest group of ancient buildings, making it an amazing trip back in time when you visit.

We had a tour guide for our group, who was full of interesting info that wasn’t on the audio tour – such as during our visit renovations were obviously in progress on the roofs. Our guide noted that the palace was so large that by the time they had finished re-painting all the roofs they would need to start re-painting the first ones they began with all over again.

It was at the Forbidden City that I had my first introduction to a dirty “hole-in-the-ground” Chinese toilet. Unless things have improved since our visit, I highly suggest you hold it rather than also experience this traditional gem.

Set aside most of a day to really explore the entire palace. Comfortable shoes are advisable.

The Forbidden City
Opening hours:
April-Oct 8:30-17:00 (60CNY)
November-March 8:30-16:30 (40CNY)

Climbing the Great Wall of China

February 3, 2016 / Asia, China, Travel / 2 Comments

I had a mild panic attack recently when I realised that I’ve travelled far and wide but very few of my journeys have actually been blogged. What kind of travel blogger am I?! Since I don’t get to travel as much these days with my preschooler in tow, I decided to go back through my travels and add them in so all of my adventures are chronicled in the one place. Starting with the Great Wall of China.

I visited Beijing in 2007 on a work trip and was so excited when I found out that one of our organised activities was the climb the Great Wall of China.

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built along an east-west line across the northern borders of China from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century AD. The wall was built to protect the Chinese empires against invaders, with a total length of more than 20,000 km. While some sections of the wall have crumbled away, some still exist to an extent that they can be climbed, as the wall has been rebuilt, maintained and renovated constantly.

We climbed the Badaling section of the wall. It’s the most famous section, the most complete, convenient and accessible, and is also the closest to Beijing (70 km). As a result, however, this section of the wall is always teaming with tourists (like us!). I didn’t find it overwhelmingly busy when we visited, however, so I wouldn’t be put off by this. The Badaling section has had the most renovation and is well maintained, making it the safest section to walk of the wall, too.

Most parts of the Badaling Great Wall were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD) to defend Beijing against raids from northern Mongolians.

The Badaling section of the wall is 12 kilometers with 43 watchtowers, but only 3.74 km and 19 watchtowers have been restored and are opened to visitors. While that sounds like a short stroll, it’s an exhausting walk up hill, and your calves will remind you of it for days to come. Take plenty of water and wear very comfy shoes.

Heading to China? Get ideas on a two-week itinerary here.

Climbing the great wall isn’t enough? What about CAMPING on the Great Wall of China?

Looking for more things to do in China? Head to Guangzhou with your kids.

Keep your information safe when travelling by using a VPN.

Disney Summer Frozen Garden Party

January 21, 2016 / Cheese, Disney Travel, Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 2 Comments

A few months ago, I entered a competition to win tickets to a Disney Summer Frozen Garden Party in Sydney. I didn’t think much of it again, until, amazingly, I received an email letting me know that I’d won two tickets to the party. What good luck!

Cheese chose her Anna Frozen Fever outfit after I persuaded her that it was too hot for anything else and promised I’d even do her hair like Anna’s. One YouTube tutorial later and a hairdo that kind-of passed for Anna’s we were walking into Kurzon Hall with the blaring Frozen soundtrack welcoming us.

Kurzon Hall in Sydney, where the party was held, kind of resembles a castle, making it the perfect choice for a royal garden party. While summer in Sydney can be anywhere from around 20 degree days to 40, the party day was a particularly scorchingly one, with temps of almost 40dC. It was one of the hottest summer days we’d had – quite ironic to be going a Frozen party in such mad heat!

Thankfully the Disney team were well prepared for the heat, with parasols at the entrance, umbrellas covering most of the seating, paper fans dispersed to guests, and free gelato.

As we chose a table for our special afternoon tea, a hostess greeted us and brought us a giant picnic basket full of delicious goodies. The generous serving could have fed another two of us! We received a vegetarian basket, with quiches, a wrap, a vege roll, brownies, fairy bread, a Frozen cupcake, blue lollies, juices, apples and bananas.

The party had a tight schedule of events that kids could choose to participate in: face painting, horse and carriage ride and meeting Anna, Elsa and Kristoff. In between these events the kids were free to play a variety of old fashioned games like giant naughts and crosses, Jenga and Connect Four. I have to say here, a huge props to the very professional Frozen crew who were decked out in winter costumes and barely looked like they were sweating.

I had thought the highlight event would be meeting the Frozen crew, who looked almost identical to the cast from the movie but then I looked down at the schedule of events and saw that the gorgeous Aussie singer, Ricki-Lee was scheduled to sing a selection of Disney songs. WHAAAAAAAT?!

Sure enough, Ricki-Lee turned up and, in sweltering conditions, put on an amazing show. She really has such a gorgeous voice, but, even more than that, she looked like she truly loved the songs, and engaging with the kids. The kids – oh my, they were in heaven. It was like a real life princess from a Disney movie was singing to them. They just couldn’t believe their eyes.

Ricki-Lee sang a few Frozen faves (Do You Want To Build A Snowman? and Let It Go) as well as other well-loved Disney songs, such as Beauty And The Beast, Part Of Your World and A Whole New World. Without a doubt, she made Cheese’s day by putting the microphone in front of her during one song so they could sing the song together. For a kid whose dream right now is to be a performer like Katy Perry, it was the most amazing gift to be given.

At the end of the party, we were sent home with a gorgeous present – a Disney snowflake necklace – as if all the amazing entertainment wasn’t enough of a gift! A huge thank you to Disney for putting on the Frozen Summer Garden Party. We really had the best afternoon – one that I don’t think my daughter and I are likely to ever forget.

I highly suggest keeping your eye out for future competitions like this, as, you never know, you might win tickets to the next one!

Kid-Friendly Cafes of out Sydney: Cafe Madeleine, Leura, Blue Mountains

January 9, 2016 / Blue Mountains, Leura, NSW, Travel / 0 comment

Leura is filled with cute little cafes, such as Cafe Madeleine, the place to go for your sugar fix in the Blue Mountains. The cafe is the sister site of Josophans – makers of fine chocolate.

At Cafe Madeleine, you can enjoy a Fair Trade-certified chocolate-focused menu of desserts, brownies, waffles and hot chocolates, alongside modern Australian-style breakfast, lunch and High Tea menus.

We dropped by the cafe after a bush walk and really enjoyed our casual lunch of Vegetarian Ricotta Tart & Salad (house baked ricotta tart with sage and sweet potato, served with a dressed side salad and local Hominy bakery sourdough bread, $16.90), Toasted Sandwich (Leg Ham, off the bone with tasty cheese & housemade chutney, on local Hominy Bread sourdough served with a dressed side salad $16.90), a Kids Sandwich (cheese toastie on wholemeal bread $5.50), Grannies Garden Berry Fruit Infusion Iced Tea, $4.50, Babycino, $1.50, Flat White, $3.60, Scones (two freshly baked scones filled with sweetened dried cranberries and Belgian chocolate chips, with double cream & jam, $10.50), and the Fresh Strawberries (served with a pot of melted Belgian dipping chocolate & freshly whipped cream, $10.90.

We enjoyed the savoury food particularly, although I felt like it was a bit pricey. The tart was tasty, the bread soft and fluffy, the salad fresh and light.

My iced tea was delicious – strong but without being sweet (I can’t stand sweetened drinks).

Cheese loved her cheese toastie and babycino, which came with a chocolate rim inside, making it the most popular of babycinos of all time.

The scones were the only disappointment of the meal. They were very sweet and more like cake than scones. We would have preferred more traditional scones that weren’t flavoured.

The strawberries were the highlight of the meal – they were so fresh and sweet, and dipped in chocolate … mmmmm! So good!

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Cafe Madeleine
187a The Mall
Leura NSW
Phone: (02) 4784 3833
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily 9am-5pm