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Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Sydney Australia Review

I am a big fan of wax museums. I always have fun and learn a few different things while visiting.

We had the chance to visit the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Sydney Australia on a trip this past winter. I went with the whole family as I feel this is a good family activity to do.

We did the entire exhibit in about 1 hour. I thought it was kind of short compared to other wax museums I have been to before (even the defunct one in Victoria, BC).

Hanging out with the Royal Family!

One of the things I like about a wax museum vs a regular museum is that they have these fun props where you can dress up next to the statues and have some fun!

My daughters and I with Pink.

On Oprah’s show.

Trying to guard Yao Ming.

They had many Aussie actors and celebs (Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, the various cricket stars I had no idea who they were), so it was a lot of fun to see some different statues. They do an amazing job making them look authentic.

Wife sings with Gaga

I recommend paying for the pass to see multiple attractions (Skywalk, aquarium, etc) for one low price as this one attraction’s price may be too high for some larger families.

Daughter posing with her Grammy.

It was a fun afternoon and how many people can say they sang next to Lady Gaga!

Daughter signs with Lady Gaga.

June 21, 2015
Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport Trip Report

I have had the pleasure of staying at the Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport (YVR) many times. It is one of my favourite hotels in Vancouver.

It is located close to YVR with a free shuttle, you have a great lounge to watch planes land, close to River Rock Casino and the Canada Line to get downtown, a nice pool and workout area.

Most important, a comfortable bed and large enough rooms to relax in.

Inviting room at Westin Wall Center Vancouver Airport

The room was quite spacious and had floor to ceiling windows.

Working area at Westin Wall Center Vancouver Airport

Green Living at Westin Wall Center Vancouver Airport

Nice sized bathroom with tub/shower at Westin Wall Center Vancouver Airport

Coffee/Tea/Welcome Water.

Enjoying the wonderful lounge and seeing the planes land at YVR.

My favourite part was the pool with no one there!

I recommend staying here if you are trying to preserve your Starwood balance. I use only 7,000 points per night (you can get 20,000 points with one credit card signup).

They are also very kid-friendly, both of my daughters received a little package as a thank-you and were entertained!

It is easy enough to get to downtown with the Canada Line and there is free street parking if you don’t want to pay the hotel’s parking fees (this is what we do when we come to the mainland).

Remember that hotels in downtown Vancouver can be quite noisy and you will want to have a car to see many sights outside the City Center so that is why I always recommend this hotel.

It is a steal at only 7,000 SPG points and I have stayed there five times and have always enjoyed it!

June 20, 2015
Fairmont Hotels – Buy a $250 Electronic Gift Card and Receive a $50 Gift Card Free

Fairmont Hotels Canada has a great offer coming up! Head online to Fairmont next week on June 24, 2015 between 1pm and 4pm EST and purchase a $250 gift card and you will receive a $50 gift card for free!

If you’ve got a summer getaway coming up, this is a great way to save money on your upcoming trip! Fairmont gift cards are redeemable against any direct hotel charges managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, or you can use them at Fairmont Stores, Fairmont owned and operated golf courses, Fairmont owned and operated food & beverage outlets, Fairmont owned and operated spas and any other outlet pertaining to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

Your gift card must be purchased on June 24, 2015 between 1pm and 4pm EST to qualify for this deal. You can purchase multiple gift cards, however, they must be purchased in denominations of $25o to get your free $50 card. You can choose to purchase your gift cards in either Canadian or US dollars.

Click here to read more about this deal,

June 18, 2015
WestJet announces service to London Gatwick

WestJet announced it has selected London, England as the first transatlantic destination from Canada for its wide-body Boeing 767-300 aircraft. Service from Canada to London will be through London Gatwick.

“This news marks the next phase in the international portion of our strategic plan,” said Bob Cummings, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Commercial. “WestJet is at the right scale to make this step in our evolution. Combined with our low-cost approach and renowned people-driven service, we have the network, brand and infrastructure to successfully enter and grow in the wide-body market. We look forward to announcing, later this summer, our entire schedule and low-fare approach for the spring of 2016.”

“Wide-body capability now allows us to serve London Gatwick from anywhere in Canada and brings into consideration more international destinations in the future. The Canadian cities we will fly from will be determined over the course of this summer,” continued Bob Cummings. “We will meet with airports across the country to determine the most suitable ones we believe will meet our needs and those of our guests.”

Further announcements on schedules, pricing and launch cities will be communicated later this summer with service commencing in spring 2016.

Where do you think they will have flights from? I hope not St. Johns!

June 17, 2015
Silvercar Audi Car Rental – 1 Free Day
For a limited time and exclusively for LoungeBuddy members, Silvercar is offering new customers 1 free day (up to $89 in value) towards your first Silvercar reservation of 2+ days.* Drive off in a premium Audi A4 from any airport where Silvercar is available.

Here is a list of Silvercar locations:
To claim your gift, simply enter the code “LOUNGEBUDDY” into the Silvercar app or at www.silvercar.com when making your reservation. Get a taste of car rental the way it should be, and enjoy a smooth, hassle-free airport car rental experience.

If you use my referral code when you sign up with Silvercar: SZUSSINO you and I will each earn $25 after your first rental (much appreciated).

Disclosure: I have already used this code for when I go to Fort Lauderdale in December!

Here is the link to Silvercar.
June 17, 2015
Sea Life Sydney Aquarium Review

I loved our stay in Sydney and our trip to the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium was very interesting.

It is conveniently located in Darling Harbour just north of the Pyrmont Bridge. My wife and my 2 kids went in. A child is considered 4 – 15 years. 3s and under enter SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium free of charge (great policy).

It was very well designed for kids as many tanks were eye level and easy for them to experience (my daughter will never forget the shark tank!

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here. The walkways through the shark enclosure is just amazing and if I lived there I would get an annual pass.

I think my favourite exhibit was the shark tank (I have been to many aquariums around the world) and it made up for the previous disappointing tanks. The following exhibits for the Great Barrier reef really showcased the area well and the guides were very knowledgeable.

Tickets can cost as low as $25 (online) and remember that kids under 3 are free!

Cool starfish – Sydney Aquarium

Daughter smiling in the Shark Tank

Sydney Aquarium – Perfect Eye level for kids.

Sydney Aquarium – So much to see and do!

Sydney Aquarium – Girls loved the shark tank

Sydney Aquarium – I spy a manta ray!

Assorted sealife

Nice colouring area where kids can draw a fish.

June 15, 2015
Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Darling Harbour Australia Trip Report

Early in 2015, I took several months parental leave and enjoyed a trip with my family to Australia/New Zealand.

We stayed for 10 nights at the Four Points by Sheraton (almost felt like we moved in) and had an amazing time.

The location is perfect (close to Darling Harbour, Pyrmont Bridge, and about 40 minute walk to the Opera House, close to City Center where you can take a bus almost anywhere).

We had an amazing 12th floor view of the Pyrmont bridge where we saw a fireworks show (Friday nights) and had an amazing view everyday!

Here are some highlights:

A nice little area outside the bathroom to put our junk!

Comfortable 2 double beds.

View of the Room

Pyrmont Bridge from our Window

Nice area to relax in.

Small sink and bathroom.

Standup shower only – no bathtub.

This hotel stay was amazing and having 2 little ones we were pleased with the service and the black-out blinds.

We didn’t eat at the hotel but we had a small mini-bar fridge and coffee (Australian instant coffee).

I used my Starwood SPG points and used the Nights and Flights and saved 20,000 points by staying 2 different times (I transferred the miles to my Alaska account after).

If you are looking to save your miles for a special trip I recommend using the Starwood points here. Hotels like this usually go for at least $300 – $400 a night (we went in March and the weather was still +30 C).

June 13, 2015
Vancouver Only – Air New Zealand 75th anniversary with incredible one-day $475 round-trip fare sale
Air New Zealand announced today that in celebration of its 75th anniversary, it will offer a one-day, $475* fare sale for tickets from Vancouver, Canada to Auckland, New Zealand.

Seventy-five (75) tickets at the incredible price of $475* including taxes, a significant savings compared to the average published fare to New Zealand, will be on sale for one day only on Wednesday, June 17. Tickets will be available at Flight Centre Canada’s Vancouver flagship store, Flight Centre Ultra Shop, at 625 Howe Street (Space 125). Doors will open at 9:00am, with pre-sale activity and entertainment taking place at 8:30am. Promotional coupons and complimentary merchandise will be available during the pre-sale event.

“Air New Zealand has been connecting travelers for 75 years, and we are excited to celebrate our anniversary by offering these unprecedented fares,” says Air New Zealand Vice President of the Americas Chris Myers. “We’ve come a long way in 75 years, and by end of the year’s peak travel season, we’ll be operating over 40 flights from North America, including up to daily services from Vancouver to Auckland.”

Customers can win a chance to ‘jump the queue’ at Flight Centre by entering their information on the Air New Zealand Canada Facebook tab found here. Five lucky customers will be selected to ‘jump the queue’ on June 17. Exclusive discounts for Flight Centre Canada on Air New Zealand will also be available on the day of ticket sales. Customers are encouraged to join the conversation surrounding the $475* fare sale on social media by using the hashtag, #AirNZ75.

Flight Centre Canada, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, is partnering with Air New Zealand to provide Canadian customers with a dream come true flight to New Zealand. Aaron Stubbings, Western Canada marketing manager at Flight Centre says, “Every day is a different journey in New Zealand, and we’re incredibly excited to offer customers an opportunity to experience all that the country has to offer, including world-class adrenaline sports and mind-blowing countryside to explore.”

Tickets to be sold in Flight Centre Canada’s Vancouver Ultra Shop:
- 25 tickets departing September 25, 2015, returning October 7, 2015
- 25 tickets departing September 26, 2015, returning October 9, 2015
- 25 tickets departing September 27, 2015, returning October 10, 2015
Air New Zealand flies nonstop to Auckland from Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and starting inDecember 2015, from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Beginning Oct. 25, a fleet of completely refitted Boeing 777-200ER aircraft will exclusively operate the Vancouver–Auckland route.

The refitted Boeing 777-200 includes Air New Zealand’s award-winning Economy Skycouch™, comfortable ink-colored luxury leather seats with leg rests in Premium Economy, as well as lie-flat beds in Business Premier. In addition to delicious Kiwi-inspired cuisine and a great selection of New Zealand wines, customers can also enjoy over 1800 hours of on-demand inflight entertainment available via personal touch screens.

*Terms & Conditions May Apply. Customers must be present when buying at Flight Centre Canada’s Vancouver Ultra Shop. No plus ones will be available. Offer not available online or by phone.

Issued by Air New Zealand.

For more information contact:

Lauren O’Gorman, Communications & Social Media Manager, The Americas, +1-310-648-7039

Charli Sharp, MWW, +1-213-405-3780
June 11, 2015
Jeopardy contestants get entire ‘Canadian Cities’ category wrong

Jeopardy is my favourite game show – you learn a little obscure knowledge every time you watch it.

Our friends in the US had problems with this category!

I wonder though how many Canadians would have got them all right (I even had problems with 1 of them at first – it is not where I live)!

Enjoy the clip from YouTube:

June 4, 2015
Avion 50% conversion to BA Avios – Expires July 15, 2015

The 50% conversion rate promotion from Royal Bank (RBC) Avion to British Airways (BA) Avios is back again and runs from now until July 15, 2015.

RBC Avion cardholders and clients who hold other eligible RBC Royal Bank products or services that earn RBC Rewards points†, have the option of converting their RBC Rewards points to Avios◊. As a member of the British Airways Executive Club they can spend them on a range of rewards, including flights with BA and their oneworld® partners, flight upgrades, hotel accommodation and car rental¤.

You must be a member of the British Airways Executive Club‡ in order to convert your points.

Here is a link to the promotion.

June 3, 2015