G'day! I'm Chris. I left my home in rural Australia back in 2007 to pursue a life less ordinary.
I specialize in ambitious travel - bucket list worthy journeys such as the Great US Road Trip, the ultimate African safari, and following the length of the Silk Road.
The intermingling smells of lemongrass, Annis, cumin, and lime reach me before Hyde Park North even comes into full view. I’m fresh off my late lunch interview with Mel from The Mellyboo Project and my stomach is full of crocodile pizza and good beer, but it growls appreciatively at the feast of flavors it imagines are right around the corner.
Hyde Park, normally reserved for picnickers and dog walkers, has been transformed into a bustling street market for the annual Night Noodle Markets. Chinese lanterns strung between trees sway gently in the warm October breeze and the murmur of a growing crowd accompanies the rattling of cutlery, the sibilant sizzle of woks, and the distant sounds of a city winding down after another busy working day.
For two weeks every October the Night Noodle Markets turn the usually quiet park into an old time market square as restaurants from all over the city representing cultures from all over the world gather to celebrate Sydney’s diversity and promote their cuisine. From the big names such as Chat Thai down to the often overlooked hole in the wall restaurants – they’re all on display here as Sydney locals turn out to sample the best the Asian community has to offer.
It’s all a part of the larger Sydney International Food Festival – which also brings world renowned chefs to the city for a series of masterclasses and encourages Sydneysiders to get out and sample from the rich tapestry of foods that Sydney has on offer. While the Night Noodle Markets focus on promoting the city’s Asian cultures, anybody who has been to the city will be well aware of the broad variety we have to choose from. Whether it’s a humble Lebanese kebab, some rich Spanish tapas, or some chilled Russian borscht, Sydney is a treat for anybody with a taste for fine food. And the Sydney International Food Festival is a celebration of that.
Feed Me!
My poor stomach took a beating earlier in the day as I interviewed Mel for my second Bite with a Blogger segment. That’ll go up just as soon as the lovely lass gets her answers to me.
Even as my eyes and nose were assaulted with all of the options on display, I took a moment to take in the whole festival while my friends Anthony (from the Art of Conversations), Nicole, Dave, and Steph (an upcoming guest blogger on this site) went off in search of tasty treats.
Magro is very excited by his walnut and banana salad
While Magro went off in search of healthy food and found the intriguing salad pictured above, Steph and Dave came back with the foods more commonly associated with our neighbors to the north – lots of noodles, meat, and spring rolls just begging to be devoured.
Dave bites off more than he can chew with some noodles and a few hearty skewersSteph looking lovely as she prepares to dive into her dinner
There’s a great community feeling about the whole affair. When the limited number of tables and chair on hand are snapped up, people simple settle down on the soft grass beside friends or family to share an evening picnic. Kids rush about giggling and dodging diners while their parents pop open a bottle of wine and enjoy the increasing beauty of the city skyline as the horizon turns purple and the lights of skyscrapers blink on to compliment the stars appearing overhead.
Sydney has turned on a pleasantly warm evening and t-shirts are perfectly acceptable fare as diners go back for seconds or thirds. There are far too many stalls on offer to sample everything the market has to offer in one evening – but between the five of us we tried to sample as much as we could.
A tasty looking Chinese snack box
Thai Food from Spanthai cooking at the Night Noodle MarketsPad Thai and Pad See Ew looking all delicious and stuffPoffertje (Dutch Pancakes) are not so Asian. But so, so delicious.
Photograph Me!
With bellies full and bed times approaching, my party begin to make their way home. This left my camera and I with some time to capture a few shots of the festivities. While the Night Noodle Markets are primarily about the food, there’s a lot of great people watching opportunities as well. Here’s just a few shots I snapped during the course of my evening.
An old couple out enjoying a bite to eat in the warm Sydney afternoon sunTraditional Chinese dance on display at the Night Noodle Markets
Hyde Park all lit up for the Night Noodle Markets
The Sydney skyline is an impressive backdrop to the marketsThese girls asked if I was a professional photographer. I think this photo is proof that I am not...
At the end of the day I could write pages about the fantastic food on display and the atmosphere at the festival, but I think the pictures above are going to do a better job than I ever could. Get out there and see Sydney’s multicultural side and treat yourself to some delicious food while you’re at it.
The Bad
While I had a great time at the Night Noodle Markets and would recommend it to anybody, I will give two warnings about the affair:
Lines can get pretty long. Get there early if you don’t want to wait too long and don’t want to sit on the grass.
Prices run a tad high. A meal will set you back about $12-$16.
That being said, I had a very good feed and a great time for $30 last night. It’s a bit more than I’d usually pay, but the atmosphere and the selection make it worthwhile in my eyes.
The Night Noodle Markets run from October 10th through until thr 14th, and then opens again from the 17th to the 21st. It runs from 5pm until 9pm. You can learn more on the Night Noodle Markets website.
I’ve got an entry proper on my experience at Sydney’s annual Night Noodle Markets last night in the pipe line, but in the meantime here’s a little bit of video showing the wonderful melting pot of cultures on display.
If you’re really curious about the event, you can also read my entry about my experiences at the Night Noodle Market in 2010.
While Chinese traditional dance is obviously most prominent in this clip, you’ll also catch glimpses of the many different cultural foods available to those at the Night Noodle Markets.
Would love some feedback on this new video feature. I’ve borrowed a little inspiration from Nomadic Samuel’s fantastic blog, and will be hopefully introducing much more video content to my site in future.
Any other Sydneysiders get out to the Night Noodle Markets last night?
I’ve got a real treat for all of you food fanatics out there. My old friend Anthony from Art of Conversations has become something of an expert when it comes to all things Melbourne and recently asked if I’d like an entry or two on the subject. How could I say no to an offer like that?
The first of these posts is presented below. Like myself, Anthony appreciates good food and here he runs down some of his votes for the best food in Melbourne.
Enough from me. Bring on the foodgasms!
I’m Anthony, a 27-year-old sales trainer, author at Art of Conversations, and guest blogger here at Aussie On The Road (thanks Chris). I spend a fair amount of my time on the road and interstate so I thought I might share with you some of my favourite spots in my second home – Melbourne.
I’m going to start with my all time favourite. Hidden in a small alley in Chinatown, this dumpling house is the bomb. A wide selection of vegetable, meat, and seafood dumplings which arrive moments after you order them. You can easily chow down on thirty dumplings with a beer for under $20.
Another hidden gem at the end of Collins Street, this Mexican restaurant is in high demand. No pre-bookings are allowed and on a quiet night you can still expect a thirty minute wait to take your seat. The menu puts a modern twist on classic recipes which include a sensational chicken and pineapple soft shell taco.
Established in 1961, Toto’s claim to be Australia’s first pizzeria. Toto’s is one of the first restaurants you will meet when you hit Melbourne’s food capital of Lygon Street. An Italian greeting, patrons from the old country, and classic decor might convince you that you’re actually in Italy. It is easy to see why this pizzeria has survived for 50 years in Melbourne’s ultra competitive food scene.
Lord of the Fries
Australia does not have a big street food culture, however Lord of the Fries breaks the mould. A twist on the classic book title sets an accurate expectation – the best french fries. Your fries are served in a paper cone with an option of over 15 sauces and toppings which are taken from all over the world. The most popular choice would be fries with spaghetti and bolognaise. There are two outlets conveniently placed at opposite entries to Flinders Street Station.
This delightful cafe instantly catches your eye with bags of oranges hanging around the door and pineapples holding the specials on each table. Based on Elizabeth Street opposite Myers, this cafe focuses on great fruit and vegetable juices rather than the millions of coffee focused cafes that exist in Melbourne. An average breakfast will cost you $15 for a tall exotic juice, breakfast, and a cup of coffee or tea.
Fresh produce mixed with Melbourne”s melting pot of ethnic backgrounds can only mean one thing: great home-made food! The most popular item at the markets is the Borak, which is like Turkish bread with a filling of your choice such as spicy lamb, potato, or a spinach and Ricotta mix for only $2.50. There are also plenty of organic teas and coffees, flavoured nuts, local beers and wines, and delicatessens where you can create your own antipasto. The Queen Victoria Markets are a must if you’re searching for the best food in Melbourne.
Cafe Segovia
Often the best food in Melbourne can be found hidden away from the main streets of the CBD. Normally I would not be lured into a dark cobble-stone alley, however the flamboyant and artistic street art of Melbourne does put your nerves at ease. One of the great hidden cafes in the city is Cafe Segovia. Open from the early morning for breakfast and up until really late for coffee or hot chocolate – it’s a perfect place to escape the cold Melbourne weather. With ample seating, a large menu catering for all types (I’m a picky vegetarian during the weekdays), and plenty of waiters on hand Cafe Segovia captures a little slice of Italy without the expensive intercontinental flight.
Get out and eat!
Melbourne is the great food capital of Australia and while it would be easy to continue writing about my favourite spots to eat, I will keep the spirit of adventure open for you to also discover your own.
Did I miss any of your personal favourites? Got any recommendations you’d like to share? Where do you think the best food in Melbourne can be found? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Anthony will also be providing a second guest post about must see tourist sites in Melbourne real soon. Keep your eyes peeled and don’t forget to head over to Art of Conversations for some really inspiring reading.
“Is there anything else I can help you with tonight, sir?”
It’s 8.10pm and I should have finished work ten minutes ago. I’m fantasizing about a night in with the Socceroos v Malaysia game, a little Dead Island, and maybe a few episodes of Big Bang Theory.
You know, a regular hard-core party kind of evening.
I’ve thrown my satchel over my shoulder and I’m preparing to make my way to the bus stop when my mate Ben stops me.
“Keen for a few beers?”
I should say no. I’m doing horrendously with my diet and I’m on a budget. But it’s been a long Friday and the night I’d had planned for myself doesn’t exactly ring true to the kind of wild nights I had when I lived in Gwangju or Busan. A night out sounds pretty damn good.
The Stratton Hotel, conveniently located approximately fifteen metres from where I work, is our venue of choice. It’s hard to say no to a pub that has $4 Oscar’s beer from Monteith’s Brewery in NZ on tap and friendly staff who know me by name. The beers begin to flow as we dissect our days and I boast about my upcoming Queensland trip and my bargain purchase for next year’s Fiji trip.
Olivia, one of the bar staff, just happens to hail from South Korea. She also happens to be pretty gorgeous and super friendly. Many a drunken night has been passed with me trying out every phrase I learned during my team ESL teaching in Korea or bemoaning the lack of good Korean food in Sydney.
Missing Korea
One of my students is curious as to why I'm pointing my iPhone at her. Sucker!
On this particular evening Olivia was knocking off early, so she joined Ben and I as we drank beers. While poor Ben listened on and tried to keep up – the two of reminisced about Korea, discussed the nightmare that is being a student in the country, talked about our experiences of racism as minorities in a new country, and talked about how much greater her town of Iksan is than neighboring Jeonju. Having been to neither, I could offer no opinion on the matter.
I left Korea for the right reasons, but I often find myself missing my lifestyle there. I miss the way that even on a bad day there’d be a few kids who could brighten my day with either their silliness or by grasping a difficult concept.
I miss the way that every Friday or Saturday night out – even if it was at the same few bars every night in Gwangju – introduced me to new people and lead to great experiences with old friends. I miss meeting like minded people and occasionally even taking them home. What? I’m only human.
It was funny hearing Olivia talk about how she hated being in Korea because she felt like she got lost in the shuffle. That’s exactly how I feel about being in Australia.
I wonder how many of my fellow travelers do what they do because they don’t feel like they belong in their home countries?
I don’t know that I’ll ever go back to Korea full time. While I’ll always have fond memories of the place, it feels like it would be a waste of my limited time on this earth to dedicate more of my youth to the place. For two years Korea was the place where I grew as a person, fell in and out of love, and had the time of my life. I’ve still got friends there I’ll be inviting to my wedding when I manage to find Mrs. Right and friends who I like to think I’ll consider friends until it’s time for me to shuffle off this mortal coil.
But while I do have a lot of fondness for Korea, I know I’ll never go back there to teach again. As I said: there are too many other places I need to visit and experience. But that doesn’t mean I can’t miss Korea…
Oh, Hi Mum!
I was downing beer number 5 or 6 when I received a text from my mother. Excellent son that I am, I had forgotten that she would be in Sydney for the evening and that she wanted to meet up.
Thankfully the Stratton Hotel is only a block from where she was staying, and so Olivia and I (Ben had to pike) wandered off to meet her.
Our talk of Korea had stirred up a huge hunger for good Korean food in the both of us, and my mother’s love of all things Korean meant she was a willing participant in our hunt for BBQ.
I’d originally wanted to try out a new restaurant I’d seen because it served albap (similar to bibimbap but with fish eggs stirred through) but Olivia put the kibosh on that. Apparently she’d worked at the restaurant in question when she first moved to Australia and she’d left on less than amicable terms.
Grant double fisting soju and Korean beer at BBQ City
Never fear! BBQ City again came to the rescue. I’ve talked about this particular slice of Korean culture in the heart of Sydney before, and it didn’t disappoint as it again turned out a fine spread of galbi (BBQ beef), bibimbap (rice, vegetables, and spicy paste), kimchi, and gochu (peppers) dipped in seomjjeong (soy bean paste) to fill our rumbling stomachs.
On this particular evening the South Korean national football (soccer) team was also playing on the big screen – so there was lots of raucous cheering from customers and staff alike as Park Chu Young grabbed a rapid fire double to snatch the lead. It almost felt like I was back in Korea as the Wonder Girls danced on one screen, the football covered the others, and the staff capitalized on the quiet evening to watch the game and have a bite of their own.
I’m a big fan of BBQ City. As far as Korean food in Sydney goes, it’s even held in high regard by Korean natives. Their prices aren’t quite on a par with the dirt cheap menus you’ll find in Korea – but the food is authentic and the atmosphere is very similar to what you’d find in the land of the morning calm. There’s Korean beer and soju. There’s the tacky plastic cups and ugly napkin dispensers.
The only thing missing were the service buttons on tables that you’re usually able to press insistently if you want service. Sort it out!
With midnight approaching and the last bus to Lane Cove not far off, we decided to call it an evening. Our meal for three only set us back $66 and I think all three of us were full to brimming. A good night out.
Making New Friends
After saying my goodbyes to my mother and promising Olivia I’d make an appearance at her expat BBQ on Sunday (where there’ll be three former ESL teachers from Busan in attendance!) I began the stumbling walk towards the bus stop. Along the way I decided to duck down an alley to cut back on my travel time and stumbled across a small Korean grocery.
Heaven! All I'll ever need to cook Korean food in Sydney 🙂
The young Korean behind the counter was super excited after I asked him where to find seomjjeong. I love how proud of their home country Koreans get. Soon he was following me around the aisles pointing out various snacks or treats he thought I might remember.
Fifteen minutes and $15 later I was leaving with a haul that included:
1kg of kimchi
1 pack of Choco Digits
1 pack of gim (dried and salted seaweed)
1 roll of gimbap (similar to a sushi roll)
1 deck of Go Stop cards
1 can of grape drink with pieces of real grape
1 bowl of spaghetti ramen
Oh, and the phone number of the guy behind the counter. He was keen to get some new friends in Australia and me, I’m just a friendly guy. Maybe he can help me finally learn to read hangeul?
With my arms loaded up with Korean goodies and my stomach full of delicious galbi, I hopped on the last bus to Lane Cove and reflected on a wonderfully random night.
I’ve waxed lyrical about Detours in the past and tonight was a prime example of one. By all accounts I should have ended up back at home watching TV – but instead I managed to make two new Korean friends, eat delicious food with my awesome Mum, and discover a great (and cheap) place to buy Korean food in Sydney. Winning.
Being super masculine posing with some tulips in Seoul
What a week! There’s a lot happening in my life both on the travel front and on the work front. There was the tragic passing of visionary Steve Jobs as well, and while I won’t write at length about my sadness at his passing here, I will direct you to a wonderfully heartfelt and beautiful entry from Torre over at Fearful Traveler expressing her feelings at the news.
What’s going on in my life travel wise? A lot!
Travel Stuff
My upcoming Queensland trip is just two short weeks away! In addition to the previous plans to rock a Zombie Walk, spend a week on Tangalooma, participate in Fright Night at Movie World, and hit Dream World to try out their new rides – I’ve also added in a few days/nights catching up with old friends as well as what looks like it’ll be a really fun night at the Mana Bar. It’s no Ground Kontrol, but it looks like a pretty sweet alternative.
As if that wasn’t cause enough for excitement, I’ve also been a little silly and snapped up a really sweet deal from Living Social Escapes to spend 5 nights at Mango Bay Resort in Fiji for just $300! That’s insanely cheap!
I spent five days at Mango Bay early this year in my big Fiji tour, and while there were a few things about it that bugged me, I still look back at it as a really fun time. And my preferred wingman, Dr. Grant, has already signed on to tag along as well. No idea when that might be, but I’ve got until October next year to figure out flights and an itinerary.
Hopefully I’ll be able to get the girls from my visit to Mantaray to tag along too…
I’m also battling the urge to snap up an offer that came to me via Scoopon today to do my PADI Advanced Open Water Certificate for just $150. Why is it that I subscribe to deal sights and don’t receive anything of interest for a whole year and then two really appealing deals fall into my lap on the same day?
Curse you Murphy’s Law!
Aaaand if that wasn’t enough, my adventure in a Ford Focus is scheduled for next weekened when Mel, Annie, my good mate Dave, and I will head down to Jervis Bay for two days of whatever it is you do in Jervis Bay. Maybe I should research this…?
Work Stuff
Oh yeah, and my life is more than just travel. Next week I’ll be moving from my current tech support role at iiNet and into a role as a representative for Fetch TV. Pay rise? Not so much. But it’s a good chance to represent a product I quite like and to progress a little within the company. Plus it will hopefully help abate my recent boredom with telling customers to turn their modems off and then on again.
Yes, my life is an episode of The IT Crowd. I can’t decide whether I’d rather be the socially inept geek or the disgusting fat guy. First world problems.
And now, because that’s why you’re here, the ten reads that make up this week’s Recommended Reads.
Marky’s entry describing his visit to these volcano created ruins borders on the poetic. While his photography is of its usually fantastic standard, the entry itself is also full of fascinating tidbits about the former town and the church in which 1200 of its populace tragically died as they sought shelter from a pyroclastic flow in their faith in the Lord.
While I’m always interested to read about the Great Wall of China, Uluru, or London – there’s something very cool about stumbling upon these stories about lesser known spots. I might never have know of Cagsawa had it not been for working on this column, and that would be a tragedy.
When it comes to making excuses not to travel, I’m as guilty as the next guy. While I spend my days at work daydreaming about places I would rather be and things I would rather be doing – I spend my time off coming up with the many reasons why I can’t travel just yet. For me the main one tends to be finances or needing to be around for a certain event – but in the past it’s been school, it’s been fear, and it’s even been laziness.
The Art of Backpacking highlights a few of these reasons and why they’re stupid, and it also comes through as a really inspiring read for those of us who are putting off chasing our dreams.
Perhaps more than anything else that I came to respect about Steve Jobs, it was that he lived a life where he didn’t accept the status quo and instead pursued his dreams. It’s a lesson we should all be learning.
I just stumbled across Christine’s blog this week when she had the audacity to write an article about AFL, but I’ve forgiven that indiscretion on account of her not knowing any better. That, and the fact she has a really enjoyable blog.
This entry, about another sport that isn’t rugby league, is a really fun little snapshot of Christine’s recent visit to Wellington to participate in the 2011 Rugby World Cup fever that has swept across the shaky isle. It’s really interesting to read a relative outsider’s perspective on what is traditionally a game confined to Oceania and small corners of Europe – and her photos make me wish I’d scraped together the cash to participate in the fun myself.
You only have to look at some of the pictures to see where the title comes from. While China is most often visited to experience Beijing or Shanghai, this entry highlights the simple pleasures to be found in exploring rural China and doing it on foot. I’ve waxed lyrical about the importance of walking in the past, and it’s good to see I’m not the only disciple of that particular church fo travel.
Migrationology is another new blog in my ever expanding list of reads and it’s a welcome addition.
Two weeks after giving us some great tips on how to monitor your calories while traveling, Fox Nomad’s guest post provides five really useful tips in how to improve your photography when it comes to capturing that picturesque sunset. While some of these might seem like common sense, other tips were welcome reminders or even new nuggets of wisdom.
I’ll be sure to put them into practice when I’m standing on a quiet Queensland beach later this month 🙂
In my younger days I may have gone through a stage where I wrote a hell of a lot of poetry.
That stage may have also coincided with my first ‘heart-break’ and inspired a lot of what some might call ’emo’ poetry.
Jim from Holes in My Soles reminded me what a powerful form of expression poetry can be in this vivid description of a quaint Scottish locale, and the accompanying pictures only add to the story being woven in this piece of ballad-like rhyme.
Are there any other traveling poets out there? I’d love to read your work!
I read this post from Leif with growing frustration. I wanted to reach through the internet and back in time and slap a little since into the UK immigration officials who (in the process of doing their job) managed to make a perfectly innocent traveler feel as if he was a potential candidate for transportation to the penal colonies.
Never mind that the penal colonies are now one of the greatest countries in the world.
Leif gives a harrowing and anger inducing account of how he was treated and mistreated by UK immigration as he attempted to enter the country. And I thought that the US immigration process was rough…
Continuing the theme started in Leif’s post above, Mica from Kaypacha Travels gives her account of what sounds like a downright terrifying experience while visiting Bolivia. I’ve heard horror stories about the scams that some South Americans will run on hapless tourists but I’ve never read about one in such detail. The fact that Mica made it out un-robbed and unharmed is amazing, and you’ve got to admire her metaphorical balls for standing up to the would be criminals where many others might have just panicked and caved in.
Craig’s participation in the Qantas Great Crusade gave him a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience the Rugby World Cup and do so in the company of an army of other rugby fanatics. There was just a little envy in my heart as I read his recount of the many cool experiences and fantastic people he met while following the William Webb Ellis trophy around New Zealand.
I debated long and hard over whether or not to draw your attention to this one. On the one hand, this is a fantastic opportunity to win a trip to one of ten wonderful festivals around the world.
On the other hand, less entrants increases my chances of winning a trip to Rio for the Carnival or Germany for Oktoberfest…
This isn’t so much a blog entry as it is a great opportunity. Head over, ‘Like’ their Facebook page, and put your name down for a chance to live out a lifelong travel dream.
I’m working on a trio of projects that I would love the help of my readers and fellow bloggers on. In addition to the new Bite with a Blogger column I introduced earlier this week that I am looking for subjects guests for, I’m also working on a free Relationships on the Road eBook as well as putting the finishing touches on preparations for my first Aussie on the Road podcast.
How can you help? I’m glad you asked!
Want to grab a bite to eat with me and promote your blog? Let me know and we’ll hook up a Bite with a Blogger interview. I’ll be grabbing a bite with Mel from The Mellyboo Project this weekend and hopefully Andy from The Travel Maverick next week as well.
Have some romance, relationship, or sex advice from your travels? An amusing story about relationships? Heartbreak? Anything in that realm would be welcome. I’ll put them all into a sexy free eBook and pimp your site out in the process.
Any suggestions or requests for the inaugural Aussie on the Road podcast? I’d love your thoughts!
Don’t See Your Entry Above?
If you’d like to see your link (or just a link you really liked) here next week don’t hesitate to leave a comment here, hit me up on Facebook, or send me a Tweet. I’ll feature the post on Facebook as well as Tweeting it to the Twitterverse and Stumbling it to the Stumbleverse. That’s free publicity!
And, if you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to my RSS Feed.
By 
