The Merry Merry Land of OZ!
Trip Start
Mar 23, 2009
1
14
21
Trip End
Jun 03, 2009
Melbourne,
Victoria,
Australia
Saturday, April 11, 2009
I landed in Melbourne on Saturday evening, and like NZ, Aussie's make it easy for arriving tourists to navigate the area. Took the SkyBus from the airport to the city, then tram to the hostel and I was in bed by 9. Melbourne is 2 time zones behind Christchurch, so I had a bit of jet lag to make up for!
I woke up to a bright and sunny Easter morning. Melbourne is in the state of Victoria, which is known for fickle, or at least variable weather, even within the same day. I was glad it decided to be unseasonably warm, and the forecast called for sunny, dry and high 70's for the next few days - ahh! I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to travel and see the world, as well as to have the special people in my life, and was excited to celebrate Easter in another country. Right across the street from my hostel was an Anglican church and I was immediately welcomed and felt comfortable to join their Easter service. I even stayed for tea afterward and chatted with the vicar and several of the church members - lovely!
I then used the rest of the sunny afternoon to start exploring, and walked down to Queen Victoria Market. This is a huge indoor/outdoor market over several city blocks with over 1,000 stalls and vendors. There's a bit of everything for sale there - from resh produce, crafts and ethnic foods, to hardware, tourist souvenirs and some "bargain basement" sales for shoes, jeans, As Seen On TV items - you name it. I had an awesome smoothie and headed on.
There is a free shuttle bus and tram that circles the city and hits most of the tourist sites. I hopped on bus at Queen Victoria Market and rode down to the harbor. The day was getting prettier and prettier, and I was keen (very OZ/NZ term apparently) to see an Australian Rules Football game. So when I noticed the crowds around the harbor in game-day attire were heading in mass to the nearby stadium. I hopped off at the stop and was able to buy a general admission ticket. The North Melbourne Kangaroos were playing the Hawthorne Hawks and I was just in time for the tip-off (?). I have no idea the rules of "footy" but I figured it would be fun to watch. Apparently it was a close game, and I had a blast watching the match and talking to the people sitting around me.
I wrapped up the official Day 1 in Melbourne with dinner at an Italian cafe on Lygon Street, which is one of the several "cafe districts" in the area. Melbourne has a reputation for really good food and good shopping and several different hot spots for both, so I checked out this area first and had a great meal. I wasn't too far from my hostel and walked back with a gellato, perfect!
The next day was even better weather reaching the low 80's - and I was dying to find a beach. There is a suburb of Melbourne called St. Kilda, which is not only another great place to eat and shop, but has a beach, so I was on my way. The trams are pretty easy to navigate and it was a 20 minute ride to St. Kilda Beach. I walked the boardwalk and shopping area, then relaxed on the beach. I finished the afternoon with lunch at popular restaurant called Soul Mama, which was recommended by an Aussie I talked to in NZ. I just happened to stumble upon the restaurant during my walk and it was as good as the recommendation!
At this point, I was starting to feel a little run down - I think the fun but frantic pace in NZ was catching up to me, so when I woke up the next morning and checked out the hostel, I wasn't ready to get back on the road. I found a special deal for 3 nights at an historic (and nice!) hotel called The Windsor, right next to Parliament and other areas I still wanted to see. I didn't need to talk myself in to it! I checked in, left my bags and continued exploring.
I took a ferry ride of the Yarra River, which was a great way to enjoy the day and see other parts of the city. I hopped off the ferry and walked some of the city parks that are throughout the city, and followed the paths to the Shrine of Remembrance, built for the Victorians killed in WWI and a good lookout point of the area. I was definitely starting to feel a little cold coming on at that point, so I picked up some takeaway and headed back to the fluffy bed and white robe of my room at the Windsor - ahh!
The next morning was a classic weather change for Melbournians - windy, rainy and cool. I laid low until lunch time. They say Melbourne can have 4 seasons in one day, because it was sunny and warmer when I headed out. Across from my hotel was the City Museum, Cooks Cottage, Conservatory and several other city parks. I wandered through these and then road the tram to another foodie area on Brunswick St. and then walked passed St. Patrick's Cathedral, really beautiful. My energy was getting low, so I made my way back to my hotel as I had booked an afternoon massage at the next door spa - the budget was adjusted to allow for therapeutic necessities!
Unfortunately, the next day was a wash as I think I had a 24-hour head cold and didn't want to make it worse. I figured that a trip this long can't have a perfect day EVERY day, and I wanted to nip this funk in the bud. I used the afternoon to explore the Australian TV selection, which seems to consist of 4 rugby stations, BBC World, Australian Biggest Loser (loved that!) and episodes of 2 1/2 Men. Thank goodness for Skype and email as I was able to connect with Eric and friends at home as well.
Feeling MUCH better the next day, I was ready to head out. It was time to explore the surrounding areas of Melbourne and further.
Till next time!
Stephanie
