Chillin' in the heat

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  Melbourne, Australia
Saturday, February 24, 2007

We arrived here in Melbourne on Tuesday and were met by Scott and Rachel, two travelling buddies who I haven't seen since travelling in Laos seven (count 'em) years ago. Just goes to show it pays to hang on to those old email addresses! So since then we've been totally taking advantage of them, eating their food, hanging around in their gaff all day, getting taken to cool bars and wandering about the city.
It's strange being back here again after so long. I lived here for three months back in 1999 in a house about ten minutes walk from where we're staying now, which is just off Brunswick Street. I went to see the old place and I couldn't remember which one on the row I lived in, very distressing! Brunswick Street is just as cool as it was when we were here before, except that now there is a bigger mix of stuff. A lot of money has moved in and there are lots of boutique stores nestled between the second hand clothes shops and there are expensive cafes cheek by jowl with cheap and cheerful eateries. The two shops that still exist that I can remember are Polyester, which sells "totally weird shit" (as it says on their shopfront) like manga porn, and the Ministry of Style, a definite misnomer there, which sells raver gear in bright garish colours. I'm not sure if this says more about me than about Brunswick Street though... The chain stores Revival and others are still about too, selling Melbourne-designed indie gear.
Loads of money has been spent in Melbourne due to the Commonwealth games being held here. So there is a brand spanking new area called Federation Square, an ultra modern building complex right beside Flinders Street Station on the banks of the river. Melbourne has loads of stately old buildings and it's a strange juxtaposition of styles you get here now, very exciting. Lots of buildings here are in the Victorian style, and it's probably what London would look like in some areas if it hadn't been bombed out of it in WWII.
Scott and Rachel have been taking us out barhopping which was great, lots of bars with individual styles, from one with fake astroturf grass kitch to one that's basically the gap between some buildings down a dark alley past the bins, where most of the seats and tables are made from old beer crates. It's a foodie heaven too with everything under the sun available. It's like Glasgow on steroids but without the neds and with a good climate. Melbourne was my favourite city when I was here last, and I have a feeling that's not going to change after this trip.
The plan is to get a vehicle and make our way to Sydney on Monday (i.e. before we outstay our welcome). So hopefully we'll take our time about it and see the sights between here and there, which according to the locals include some stunning scenery and great beaches. Excellent.

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