We were knackered and freezing, after the heat and humidity of Singapore a rainy Spring Melbourne morning was a bit of a shock. A shuttle bus took us into the Southern Cross station and we spent a pleasant hour in a community cafe having a breakfast of bruchetta with locals who were having breakfast on their way to work. Lovely - no rice or noodles!
A friendly taxi driver took us to our apartment building, first impressions were poor, there was no key. You know that feeling when you are so tired you can't see straight, you want a shower and to remove the clothes you feel as if you have been wearing for ever? Well, we had to wait another 3 hours until the apartment owner and the manager of the block traced the key. We wandered like zombies through a grey, cold morning, not really seeing anything, drinking coffees we didn't really want. Passing time until we could sleep.
Cut to a few hours later, we were in a delightful apartment, rested, unpacked and looking out onto an amazing view on a bright, hot Melbourne afternoon!
The sky was blue, the sun was high and the humidity was - gone! Oh yes!!
Our apartment, owned by a French lady, and very Parisian in style, overlooks the huge park which contains a very impressive shrine of remembrance, the Governors House, the Royal Botanic gardens, the Tan (a 4 km running track), and the Sydney Myer Music Bowl. Since Tuesday we've explored the park, in depth, shopped til we've dropped and practically renewed all our clothes, drunk at brilliant bars, eaten at fab restaurants, cooked (yes cooked) and fallen in love with Melbourne. We've seen parakeets, possums and kookaburras.
It's all wide streets, gorgeous buildings, both old and new, street entertainers, crap telly, Aussie rules football, proper football! cricket, KD Lang and Stevie Nicks gigs, theatre, etc. In fact it's almost like home, with sun!
During this frenetic settling in period, I've had my hair cut, at last. You know I'm a bit fussy with my hair but a lovely German girl cut it in a swanky salon in David Jones department store. Today we've been to the Immigration museum, very poignant, some truly heartbreaking stories of children sent to Australia from Britain, sometimes without their parents knowledge. There were tales of abuse, physical and sexual, siblings being split-up and some stories too distressing to read or hear. However, it's a fantastic insight into the development of Australia, and the wrongs done to the Aboriginal people.
The Melburnians are great, laid back and very friendly. The girls are stunning, no artifice, no acrylic nails, bright nail varnish and straightened hair. They favour tousled hair and curls, short, bare nails and a natural look and are so refreshing. Everyone seems to be into sport, every other person is in sports gear and they run and cycle everywhere.
We're enjoying just 'living' here, we've made great friends out of the Chinese born owners of the local coffee bar. Every day they tell us somewhere else to explore then we have to report back the next! Wi-fi is a bit hit and miss so please forgive the intermittent blogs and slow replies to e-mail.
I've just read this back and it's a bit mixed up and garbled, sorry! Suffice to say Melbourne is lovely, we could live here! Plans for the next few days - to St Kilda to the beach, visit the Italian quarter, the grand prix circuit, explore the suburbs, book a hire car and plan a road trip to Adelaide along the Ocean road. Hope everyone is ok at home, Christmas seems a world away, no decs out in Melbourne - yet. Take care.
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Location:Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Melbourne
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