Sydney - Two weeks in!!
Apr 14th 2008, 9:28 am
#16
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
We stayed at the Silosi Beach Resort on Sentosa Island. Don't know where Ritz Carlton is.
Singapore Airport is very clean, almost serene at times compared to Heathrow. Loads of food and retails outlets.
Apr 14th 2008, 9:34 am
#17
Auntie Fa
Joined: Nov 2006
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
Stormy, if you want to go to Sentosa you can get the MRT (subway) from City Hall, the nearest to the Ritz Carlton, to Dhoby Ghaut interchange. Change to another line and get the MRT to Harbourfront. which adjoins Vivo City, the newish mall Paddyo mentioned. Will take you about 15 mins in all.
Alternatively if you are wandering round Chinatown, you can get there directly from Chinatown MRT.
From Harbourfront you can take the Cable Car to Sentosa, alternatively the little monorail train or a Sentosa bus. Once on the island, buses around it are free. (You pay S$2pp to get onto the island.)
TBH it's not all that, it's very man-made (including the beach) and for such a quick trip I wouldn't bother going - but then I am a jaded Asia-dweller.
Alternatively if you are wandering round Chinatown, you can get there directly from Chinatown MRT.
From Harbourfront you can take the Cable Car to Sentosa, alternatively the little monorail train or a Sentosa bus. Once on the island, buses around it are free. (You pay S$2pp to get onto the island.)
TBH it's not all that, it's very man-made (including the beach) and for such a quick trip I wouldn't bother going - but then I am a jaded Asia-dweller.
Apr 14th 2008, 9:40 am
#18
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
Stormy, if you want to go to Sentosa you can get the MRT (subway) from City Hall, the nearest to the Ritz Carlton, to Dhoby Ghaut interchange. Change to another line and get the MRT to Harbourfront. which adjoins Vivo City, the newish mall Paddyo mentioned. Will take you about 15 mins in all.
Alternatively if you are wandering round Chinatown, you can get there directly from Chinatown MRT.
From Harbourfront you can take the Cable Car to Sentosa, alternatively the little monorail train or a Sentosa bus. Once on the island, buses around it are free. (You pay S$2pp to get onto the island.)
TBH it's not all that, it's very man-made (including the beach) and for such a quick trip I wouldn't bother going - but then I am a jaded Asia-dweller.
Alternatively if you are wandering round Chinatown, you can get there directly from Chinatown MRT.
From Harbourfront you can take the Cable Car to Sentosa, alternatively the little monorail train or a Sentosa bus. Once on the island, buses around it are free. (You pay S$2pp to get onto the island.)
TBH it's not all that, it's very man-made (including the beach) and for such a quick trip I wouldn't bother going - but then I am a jaded Asia-dweller.
Apr 14th 2008, 9:51 am
#19
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
Stormy, if you want to go to Sentosa you can get the MRT (subway) from City Hall, the nearest to the Ritz Carlton, to Dhoby Ghaut interchange. Change to another line and get the MRT to Harbourfront. which adjoins Vivo City, the newish mall Paddyo mentioned. Will take you about 15 mins in all.
Alternatively if you are wandering round Chinatown, you can get there directly from Chinatown MRT.
From Harbourfront you can take the Cable Car to Sentosa, alternatively the little monorail train or a Sentosa bus. Once on the island, buses around it are free. (You pay S$2pp to get onto the island.)
TBH it's not all that, it's very man-made (including the beach) and for such a quick trip I wouldn't bother going - but then I am a jaded Asia-dweller.
Alternatively if you are wandering round Chinatown, you can get there directly from Chinatown MRT.
From Harbourfront you can take the Cable Car to Sentosa, alternatively the little monorail train or a Sentosa bus. Once on the island, buses around it are free. (You pay S$2pp to get onto the island.)
TBH it's not all that, it's very man-made (including the beach) and for such a quick trip I wouldn't bother going - but then I am a jaded Asia-dweller.
Apr 14th 2008, 9:55 am
#20
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Apr 14th 2008, 11:29 am
#21
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
Company provided the relocation agent...only cos I pushed them to do so!!
I was looking at $650 being my max rental but it is manic here at the moment and the places in Coogeee were crap! I def recommend Raleigh Park, close to Coogee and City and the best of both worlds, plus a nice gated community, just no places when we were looking!
But as soon as my wife saw the place in Manly we were doomed!! Has it all for us, as a one child family, and Manly has everything you need and then some!
I was looking at $650 being my max rental but it is manic here at the moment and the places in Coogeee were crap! I def recommend Raleigh Park, close to Coogee and City and the best of both worlds, plus a nice gated community, just no places when we were looking!
But as soon as my wife saw the place in Manly we were doomed!! Has it all for us, as a one child family, and Manly has everything you need and then some!
Please can you let me know who you used as a reloaction agent...
Apr 14th 2008, 12:13 pm
#22
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
Well arrived in Sydney on our 457 Visa on the 29th March. Had stopped off in Singapore for 2 days to sight see and try and reduce the jetlag....didn't work!! Colleague I knew when in the UK met us at the airport and took us to our serviced accommodation. Plan was to stay there for a month until we found a plce of our own.Started work on the 1st April and now think I am getting into the swing of things.
Bank account and Tax File Number easy to sort out, walked into the bank with my passport etc and did the TFN online. Also popped down to the Immigration Office near to Central Station and got all our passports stickered with the Visa.
Work was hectic straight away which normally I like but in the back of my mind was ' where the bloody hell shall we live???'
Prior to coming out I was set on the Northern Beaches around Collaroy. Once here all I heard was 'long time to commute mate!!'. Took a drive all around the Eastern Beaches and the Northern beaches on the Sunday after we arrived. Just to get our bearings, yes, nice beaches, nice views, etc but the properties (within our range anyway) were not spectacular.
Spent the first week trying to do my job plus pumping everybody for information on where they lived etc. On the following Sunday we took the ferry to Manly...that was it...the wife was hooked!! Nice town, nice beach, nice restaurants....everything was bloody nice!! So that was added to our home list!
This week has been spent with a relocation agent showing my wife some properties in the Eastern Beaches and an area called Raleigh Park (very nice place near Kensington). She found the properties in the Eastern suburbs grotty but loved Raleigh Park. On the Wednesday they went over to Manly, looked at 8 properties, shortlisted 3 which we put applications in for, the rationale being that any of the 3 would of been great for our purposes. Having a relocation agent meant it easier getting viewings outside of the normal times and gave you a bit of kudos with the Estate Agents.
I faxed the applications over first thing Thursday morning, by 11am two of the Agents had called me saying they had been approved and did I want the property! Bloody hell, after all the horror stories I had heard the speed of it surprised me.
So decision time, I got the ferry over myself on the Thursday afternoon, checked out the properties for myself and I knew straight away which one my wife wanted, fantastic view over manly Cove out to Sydney and all mod cons with good size rooms (kitchens here are small so I wanted a decent size one).
But, I had to be realistic and gave them both a good going over in terms of presentation, floor space, rental price, etc. But the wifes favorite won it in the end, just because I knew that she had to be there all day so why not make it a place she felt happy in!
So moving to Manly in our new home next Saturday the 18th!! Its a 2 bed apartment on $700 a week. It is at the top of our range but its worth it, but it is right, you pay extra for the views...but what a view!!
Today....had our first Yum Cha lunch...fabulous!!!
Hope you all have success coming over!
Paddy, Kelly and Calum
Bank account and Tax File Number easy to sort out, walked into the bank with my passport etc and did the TFN online. Also popped down to the Immigration Office near to Central Station and got all our passports stickered with the Visa.
Work was hectic straight away which normally I like but in the back of my mind was ' where the bloody hell shall we live???'
Prior to coming out I was set on the Northern Beaches around Collaroy. Once here all I heard was 'long time to commute mate!!'. Took a drive all around the Eastern Beaches and the Northern beaches on the Sunday after we arrived. Just to get our bearings, yes, nice beaches, nice views, etc but the properties (within our range anyway) were not spectacular.
Spent the first week trying to do my job plus pumping everybody for information on where they lived etc. On the following Sunday we took the ferry to Manly...that was it...the wife was hooked!! Nice town, nice beach, nice restaurants....everything was bloody nice!! So that was added to our home list!
This week has been spent with a relocation agent showing my wife some properties in the Eastern Beaches and an area called Raleigh Park (very nice place near Kensington). She found the properties in the Eastern suburbs grotty but loved Raleigh Park. On the Wednesday they went over to Manly, looked at 8 properties, shortlisted 3 which we put applications in for, the rationale being that any of the 3 would of been great for our purposes. Having a relocation agent meant it easier getting viewings outside of the normal times and gave you a bit of kudos with the Estate Agents.
I faxed the applications over first thing Thursday morning, by 11am two of the Agents had called me saying they had been approved and did I want the property! Bloody hell, after all the horror stories I had heard the speed of it surprised me.
So decision time, I got the ferry over myself on the Thursday afternoon, checked out the properties for myself and I knew straight away which one my wife wanted, fantastic view over manly Cove out to Sydney and all mod cons with good size rooms (kitchens here are small so I wanted a decent size one).
But, I had to be realistic and gave them both a good going over in terms of presentation, floor space, rental price, etc. But the wifes favorite won it in the end, just because I knew that she had to be there all day so why not make it a place she felt happy in!
So moving to Manly in our new home next Saturday the 18th!! Its a 2 bed apartment on $700 a week. It is at the top of our range but its worth it, but it is right, you pay extra for the views...but what a view!!
Today....had our first Yum Cha lunch...fabulous!!!
Hope you all have success coming over!
Paddy, Kelly and Calum
Hi Paddy, Nice to hear that you are happy in Sydney. We will be there end of June. I have one question - how long do you think it will take you to commute between Manly and work? OH will be working in Paddington and we thought and heard that the commute would be long... So we are looking at the eastern suburbs.
Apr 14th 2008, 12:20 pm
#23
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
We also had a seafood dinner there last saturday week.....living the dream!!!
Apr 14th 2008, 12:24 pm
#24
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
Hi Paddy, Nice to hear that you are happy in Sydney. We will be there end of June. I have one question - how long do you think it will take you to commute between Manly and work? OH will be working in Paddington and we thought and heard that the commute would be long... So we are looking at the eastern suburbs.
From Manly to Paddington would be 1 hour max at peak time, which includes half hour on the ferry drinking coffee and reading the morning papers!! Sexual chocolate!!
Apr 14th 2008, 12:37 pm
#25
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
For Paddington the Eastern Suburbs will be the quickest for commuting, seriously check out Raleigh Park in Kensington if any places are available, it is superb. But , come on, its Sydney!!! Gotta be a beach place hasn't it!!! And catching a ferry into work taking a half hour, or 15 mins by jetcat, cruise every morning just sounds soooo good!!
From Manly to Paddington would be 1 hour max at peak time, which includes half hour on the ferry drinking coffee and reading the morning papers!! Sexual chocolate!!
From Manly to Paddington would be 1 hour max at peak time, which includes half hour on the ferry drinking coffee and reading the morning papers!! Sexual chocolate!!
Apr 14th 2008, 12:40 pm
#26
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Apr 14th 2008, 1:41 pm
#27
Auntie Fa
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
Millie, any reason you wouldn't fancy living in Paddington? You'll find some lovely old terraced houses on side streets there, and Oxford Street is a very cool place to go shopping and eating.
We would probably have rented there if my husband wasn't going to work way up the North Shore.
We would probably have rented there if my husband wasn't going to work way up the North Shore.
Apr 14th 2008, 2:05 pm
#28
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
Millie, any reason you wouldn't fancy living in Paddington? You'll find some lovely old terraced houses on side streets there, and Oxford Street is a very cool place to go shopping and eating.
We would probably have rented there if my husband wasn't going to work way up the North Shore.
We would probably have rented there if my husband wasn't going to work way up the North Shore.
I have newer been to Sydney so I'm just reading posts to see what other people recommend. Thank you for your tip though
Apr 14th 2008, 9:22 pm
#29
Joined: May 2006
Location: in the Sydney asylum
Posts: 20,690
Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
Paddy it sounds as though things are slotting in to place nicely for you, good luck with the manly apartment,
I liked manly a lot but felt it was a bit too crowded at weekends in the summer I prefer Cronulla which is similar but a cheaper area and a bit further out
You are right your wife is the one who will really live in the apartment so it is good for her to be happy in it. Enjoy yourselves
I liked manly a lot but felt it was a bit too crowded at weekends in the summer I prefer Cronulla which is similar but a cheaper area and a bit further out
You are right your wife is the one who will really live in the apartment so it is good for her to be happy in it. Enjoy yourselves
Apr 15th 2008, 3:38 am
#30
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Re: Sydney - Two weeks in!!
The relocation agent chosen by my company was Australia Wide Relocations, just add .com to that name and thats their website.