Day 1. Sunday, 8 February.
Oh joy. My fantastic Qantas flight finally landed in Sydney (such comfy and sleek Business Class, thanks to Honeybee Hubahib). Ever since Ben Chan took me to Australia – together with Miguel Pastor, Richard Gomez and Lucy Torres – Easter 2000, right before the Sydney Olympics, I’ve been wanting to go back. And of course, I wanted to bring a group of friends. A big group.
During that first, Sydney trip, I went to the local church and prayed that I would be able to return. Thanks to Adidas Philippines headed by John Alonte and Angelica Suiza, I did go back, with 45 people. Talk about answered prayers.
To get the Famous group in the audacious Australian mood, as soon as we settled in the hotel, we got the Adidas Amazing Race to get us all started. Over dimsum in the restaurant across the hotel, I had everyone team up according to the different Adidas lines. First was Team Colors, which suited the members perfectly; after all, what more colorful personalities than these? Ever-changeable model Bianca Valerio headed the team of top fashion designer Rajo Laurel, the irrepressible Inquirer columnist/Sea Princess Tessa Prieto-Valdes, sloe-eyed Toni Abad of Rustan’s Essenses, young lifestyle writer Beia Formoso and Andrew Garcia of Adidas.
Team Performance, on the other hand, was composed of the go-getters. Led by dancing queen Jennie Verano (of Far East Travel Agency, who helped arrange our travel details), Team Performance also had Tatler editor Anton San Diego, TV host Ces Drilon, Cosmopolitan fashion editor Donna Cuna-Pita, Meg Magazine editor Pierra Calasanz, and model Raya Mananquil.
Team Basketball was a hardcourt heavies-type of team. Cutie DJ Jon Herrera led Bubble Boy Ipe Cruz, model Borgy Manotoc, Cosmo hunk Brent Javier, triathlete Oona Mapua and Joel Mercado, writer/segment producer from ABS-CBN.
Team Soccer – who won in the end – seemed to have the advantage, now that I think of it. Led by half-Spanish model Mikee Carreon, Team Soccer kicked all our behinds, what with models Ton Lao and Tirso Garcia and the husband-and-wife photography tandem Xander and Cheryll Angeles, plus Adidas’s Toti Wong on the team.
At any rate, two seconds after my ready-get-set-go, all teams were gone, excited to get into the thick of the Adidas Adventure Race. Except for my team of course, Team Originals. Since we – Philippine Star lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil, Journal director-columnist Robert Mananquil; Philippine Daily Inquirer lifestyle editor Chelo Banal, and her son Gabe; Manila Bulletin lifestyle editor Ethel Timbol; and society columnist Maurice Arcache – were the more seasoned members of the Famous group, we just took a cab to the meeting point, and ordered lunch while waiting for the rest of the teams to rough it on the way there.
Each team had to make its way to the Orient Hotel, at The Rocks. The Rocks is actually Australia’s foundation, a major part of its history, and is one of the most visited places in Sydney. The Orient Hotel, on the other hand, is the oldest hotel on The Rocks. Getting there is a choice of bus, ferry, cab, subway. Team Soccer – whose members were either sneaky or enterprising, depending on whose side you’re on – took a bus partway, and a cab for the rest. Sweaty but energetic, they arrived first, with every step of their race documented by Xander. As in every step. And I never exaggerate.
We had a blast taking group photos, some of them with Star Cruises’ Super Star Leo docked in the background. I had our astoundingly beautiful (in my eyes anyway) Famous sign, which I had handcarried. Meticulously made by the creative team of Mon and Jowee of Team Manila, it was a labor of love hauling it to Sydney, which is why I slightly lost my cool when the letter "U" was partly torn. Ask anyone how calmly I took it. Then it was off for bargain hunting at the Sunday flea market, where you can find souvenirs and aborigine-made items.
For dinner we reconvened at the Cockle Bay Wharf with a fabulous view of Darling Harbour. Like tourists (fashionably dressed in Adidas, of course), we took pictures of ourselves with the lighted city in the background. We decided to try Wagamama, a hip Japanese fusion place.
After dinner, Toni Abad gave away fabulous Escada Magnetic Beat gift packs. Gorgeous girls Raya and Bianca were naturally happy, while Tessa – who was blond for the evening – was downright thrilled.
Day 2. Monday, 9 February.
Definitely a busy day for us – the full day city tour. We started out under the Harbour Bridge for more photo ops, complete with the famous Opera House in the background. Then off to the famous Harry’s Café de Wheels, famous for its Aussie meat pies and chilli hotdogs. We enjoyed our meat pies with the famous W Hotel – owned by the Harilela family, one of the richest families in Hong Kong – and the house of the famous Russell Crowe in the background. Just goes to show that one cannot overload on fame.
Now that W Hotel is somewhere I’m looking forward to staying at next. It’s legendary the world over for its contemporary designs and wonderful staff and services. As W says, "Whatever I want, whenever I want it." That’s my kind of hotel.
Lunch was onboard Captain Cook’s Cruise, which took us around the harbour in style. It’s summer in Sydney, so off came the boys’ shirts and the girls’ cover ups. On went the Clarins skin care products. Out came the cold bottles of Paradise Mango Rum Liqueur. This is a really yummy drink made from our freshest mangoes – a great thing to export, definitely. Beyond drinks like mango-tinis and Boracays, Bliss, you can even cook with Paradise. Amazing.
After the scrumptious buffet on board the cruise, it was off to Bondi Beach. On the way there we passed through Oxford Street, known as a gay bar strip. It was a riot as we all played a game only us Pinoys can fathom – Spot the Bading. This is the street they close for the Mardi Gras, and then it becomes filled to the max with not just the gay people, but other merrymakers as well.
Off Oxford is King’s Cross, Sydney’s Red Light District. You can find almost anything – ahem – decadent here, from adult paraphernalia to the more exotic type of fun, but I swear we didn’t linger long in the area.
After Boracay, Bondi comes in as my second all-time favorite beach in the world. The sands are fine, the water crystal cold and the array of bodies is spectacular. This is probably the most famous stretch of beach in Sydney. Everyone went crazy with the waves, which were so high like the way you see them on TV. We all slathered on Malibu Sun Block (again, thanks to Rustan’s Essenses) before toasting on the sand and trying to body surf. We were told that a few kilometers away was a nude beach but nobody wanted to come with me to try it out. Oh well. Next time. It strengthened my resolve to stick to my diet and work out harder in the gym. When I go back to Sydney, I will be a god!
Dinner was at this trendy restaurant called Little Saigon, and we all enjoyed Vietnamese food, along with great company of course. We were quite a sight to behold, us being in Adidas Sport from head to toe. After dinner, we were all supposed to head off on our own gimmicks, but ending up meeting each other at Imax 3D Theatre where we watched the making of the Titanic. I really felt like we were underwater!
After that, we were at the Establishment, this bank-transformed-into-hip-bar, where the créme de la créme of Sydney congregates. Really beautiful people, almost like Greenbelt on a gimmick night. But also almost like a soap, like The Bold and the Beautiful. Now this is my kind of crowd.
Day 3. Tuesday, 10 February
For all our partying the previous night, we were up bright and early. Well most of us anyway. We were off to Blue Mountain, where the mountains, when the light hits them at a certain angle, are blue. Go figure. On the trip there, we were like crazy contestants on that show American Idol. Who would’ve thought that we had such raw talent? Toni, Rajo, Ipe, Anton, Bianca and Toti belted out hit songs like there was no tomorrow – sans the minus one. Even our tour bus driver was impressed.
We rode the cable car to view the rock formation known as the Three Sisters. Legend has it that these rock formations were three beautiful sisters that were made into rocks for their own protection during a tribal war between their clan and the one on the other side of the mountain. The witch doctor who was supposed to change them back to maidens, however, died in battle, so they forever remained trapped in the rocks. A rather sad tale, but we could identify with it, given our own Philippine legends.
Blue Mountain was a blast. After that it was on to Wonderland, where we all had fun feeding the koalas and kangaroos, and seeing the rest of the Australian wildlife. After that it was back to civilization – Westfield Mall, the biggest mall in Sydney, for shopping, shopping, shopping. Now this something we all knew how to do.
The best part of the day however was yet to come. The Olympic Stadium was oh my god the most impressive thing. We all went wild with the photo ops! Of course, being in Adidas outfits made us fit in perfectly. And our Adidas Watches gave us perfect timing, as we pretended to all be athletes getting ready for competition. Now these Adidas Watches were a big hit, especially the Clima-cool model for the guys and the colorful YS2 for the girls.
Nighttime was free time for everyone, though a few of us had some cocktails together and got some La Prairie products from Essenses. These were exotic skin care stuff, based on caviar. Definitely high up on the social scale.
Day 4. Wednesday, 11 February
More free time for everyone. Most went to the Queen Victoria Building – or QVB – for more shopping. This building has been described as the "most beautiful shopping center in the world", and I can see why. It was built way back in 1898, and features outstanding Byzantine architecture. It fills a whole block! Its fabulous stained glass windows, floor mosaics and animated clocks make you feel like you were in a museum, not a mall. QVB was originally a concert hall, but now coffee shops, showrooms, stores, salons and what not are housed there.
We even saw the Adidas Concept Store (and they had the watches too, though not as colorful as the ones sold back home).
For those who weren’t really into retail therapy, back to Bondi Beach was the answer. Some of us also went to watch Broadway’s Lion King in Capitol Theatre. As usual production was superb, and when they started singing "Can we feel the love tonight..." I could feel my hair stand.
But in the evening, we all gathered together for our last night in Sydney. We were at the AMP Tower Revolving Restaurant, which gave us a fabulous, if slightly dizzifying, view of the city. The Tower, which is about 1,000 feet high, is the tallest building on the continent, and you can even see Blue Mountains in the distance – 62 kilometers away! At the Tower, we all tried exotic local dishes like kangaroo, camel and emu. Tasted like chicken!
Keiko Mecheri, an extensive perfume line for men and women, launched its products in the Tower. Keiko Mecheri is available in Barney’s and Neiman Marcus, and other exclusive places like that. But now it’s available at our very own Rustan’s and Essenses. Guys also got a bonus that evening because Clarins Men also had some gift packs for them. Who says men don’t enjoy vanity products?
Day 5. Thursday, 12 February.
Going-home day. We all didn’t want to leave. But our Qantas flight was waiting for us, for that safe and efficient trip back home to Manila. I think we all made a vow to return to Sydney someday.