We spent two weeks in Melbourne in total and true its reputation, it was pretty marvellous. The first in the cbd and then the second was in st kilda, a beachy suburb about 20 mins out of the centre. Trams all over Melbourne make it really easy to get around and they have a card called myki which is not unlike London's oyster. Markets and food aside, we met some great people and saw some great stuff here:
The State Library of Victoria
Fantastic exhibitions and we saw the armour and death mask of Ned Kelly here, not at the gaol as you might think. There is also a stunning round reading room which recently had its ceiling windows restored with snazzy glass and the light is beautiful.
The Shrine of Remembrance
A very moving memorial to Australia's armed forces and those who have lost their lives in various conflicts. An incredible building.
Royal Botanic Gardens
There are a few scattered around the city and I will never cease to be entertained by the way Tom marvels at trees. It's endearing. And the trees are pretty marvellous, it has to be said.
Luna Park
OK, so we didn't go on a ride but in our defence the weather didn't really allow for it. Some really strong winds when we were there. The park is a sight to behold though and a Melbourne institution and we will be making a return visit.
The AFL grand final
A big thanks to Jess who put us in touch with her friend Anita, a Londoner who has moved to Melbourne. Not only did Anita and her boyfriend Owen give us some great advice about Oz, they introduced us to two great Melbourne pubs, The Mitre and The Cricketers and for that we are eternally grateful. The Cricketers is where we met up to watch the AFL grand final. The game being Aussie rules football of course. Not only did the tallest man I've seen in a while get kicked out of the pub for causing trouble, but we also experienced a Parmy for the first time. It's an oversight that Tom's foodtastic post below didn't include this beauty. Breaded chicken breast, topped with ham, tomato sauce and melted cheese and served with chips. Epic. Parma's or parmys have become a source of intrigue to us, and I'm sure it's a topic we will return to. I can't claim to have totally understood the game myself so I won't embarrass myself by writing about it, but it was great fun to watch as a Melbourne team, the Hawks triumphed over the Fremantle Dockers (from Western Australia).
Melbourne Museum
A fantastic and modern museum with an excellent interactive and multimedia gallery explaining all about the Aboriginal culture in the state of Victoria and of course the story of Melbourne itself.
John
Our driving instructor. Yes, we took Aussie driving lessons for a number of reasons including the fact that we put a deposit on a car that is an automatic and neither of us have driven an automatic before. Tom last drove about 8 years ago and I am a new driver having only had my license for ten months. So we took 5 hours of lessons and John was a true Aussie with a big personality and a comb over to match.
Shopping
In between pastries from bread talk, we went to numerous shops to stock up on camping gear for our trip securing some great bargains. At some point we managed to make a spectacle of ourselves on Bourke street playing the drums on a Japanese arcade game. Melbourne is also home to some great laneways and arcades and they are easy to miss so if you're ever in Melbourne, make sure you seek them out. The block arcade and the royal arcade are the most famous ones and Anita sent us a self guide walking tour which was invaluable in discovering more about them. In the royal arcade there are statues of Gog and Magog who strike on the hour which are great to see. In days gone by, the block arcade was so much the place to be seen that it gave rise to a phrase, 'doing the block'. Also on the agenda were visits to Melbourne's markets, seeking out bargains and deliciousness and numerous outdoorsy stores to gear up our car for camping.
Travellers Autobarn / Our Car
Where we bought our shiny red car from. They have been great and have really set us up on our way, making the whole buying process a lot easier. The nice thing is we have a buyback guarantee so if after 12 months we want to sell it but can't they will buy it back from us at a pretty agreed price. Some of you may remember we were planning on a van, however this changed fairly swiftly when we saw the amazing Aussie station wagon that is a holden commodore executive. They are faster and more fuel efficient than a van as well as way more comfy for long distance driving. Plus it's red and shiny, OK?
St Kilda
One of Melbourne's beach suburbs, home to aforementioned luna park, where we spent our second week staying in a beautiful federation home hosted by Teena through air bnb. (Air bnb is an online facility where people can rent out spare rooms or even whole apartments.) In many cases it's the same price as a hostel and the benefit is you get to meet a local person who lives and works in the area who can really help you out with ideas for places to go and things to do. Teena also has a rather charming Labrador called Atticus who was always there to welcome us so it really felt like our home for a week. Teena was a wonderful host and the house is a beautiful old building with great features. St Kilda has a lot of great shops and a lovely creative, beachy atmosphere yet if you hop on a tram and you're in the heart of the city in no time at all. Best of all, there is a colony of penguins living on the breakwater so if you head down there shortly after sunset, you can watch them come out of the water. Very cute indeed.
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