melbourne, australia, june. holiday

It all came together pretty quickly. Vic and I hadn't had a decent holiday for a while, at least not overseas, and I'd never been to Melbourne, so off we flew for a ten-day holiday.

We chose an early flight to get the most out of the first day, and although we did arrive nice and early, Melbourne had put on an overcast and foggy day to welcome us. The ride into town was painless, but I still can't decide whether to believe anything the shuttle driver said at any time along the way... Our room at the Travelodge Southbank was clean and comfy and had a fascinating view of a guy fixing an aircon unit on the roof next door. After our 4 am start, we were feeling pretty low on energy, so after getting settled, we headed to Pushka for what turned out to be an excellent flat white and delicious bagel. Afterward, shopping ensued. Note theme.

We spent the next few days alternatively shopping, sightseeing and eating our way around Melbourne. I loved every minute! Highlights included Prahran markets with its piles of gorgeous fresh produce - and cheese, bread and cured meat that made our mouths water. We had a well above average coffee at a roaster's stall there too. Walking around St Kilda was a great experience too - it had a bit of that deserted seaside resort vibe that almost drowns you in Blackpool. But in a nice way. I loved the faded grandeur of Luna Park and the Palais Theatre. Walking back to the hotel (great location!) at night, the view back towards the city over the river was beautiful, spectacular even. One thing that wasn't a highlight was our dinner on Lygon Street. I forget the name of the place, but we looked for somewhere with a lot of people, and it fit that bill. Unfortunately, although the service was efficient and friendly, the food was average - it tasted alright, but it was obviously 'slap a few cheap ingredients together on a plate and get the tourists back out the door' fare. Disappointing. Our faith was restored later on by Tiamo further down the street, but that's another story.

As an aside, I've now visited three of the major cities in Australia, and I've really enjoyed each one of them. I don't think I'd have a problem living in any of the three. The people were friendly, the weather was good, and there was always plenty to do and explore.

To be continued...