Melbourne in a Day

13th - 20th March 2013

Ahhhh Melbourne. Supposedly the most like the UK out of all the major cities in Australia. It pissed it down for almost the whole time I was there so yes I suppose that statement is true. I arrived early on 13th March roughly 24 hours before day 1 of the Melbourne Grand Prix so I decided to get out and see as much of Melbourne as I could before the epic weekend.

The hostel was probably the oddest one I've stayed in so far. Out the back and on top of a laundrette it had the feel of it being botched together without much planning. I suppose it was like any normal hostel except the corridor in the middle of it was outside so if you wanted to go from your room to the kitchen, bathroom or lounge area you have to get a bit wet (if it was raining). It was a bit of a dive but it was clean and the couple that own it are so friendly you forget about all the little bits that need improving.

Inside Melbourne Museum

I went off to scope out the city. First place I came to was Melbourne Museum. I had a quick look around the entrance where there was some plastic animals, some cars and an old plane. It was $10 to go in so I noted it down as somewhere I might go one day if I got bored. First fail!

I went into the CBD where I saw the famous Melbourne trams. There are a ridiculous amount of them on every street. God knows how the manage it and no one crashed into them! The old ones like this one are on a loop around the city every 10 minutes for free although I think I might of got on one a couple times when it wasn't free but I wasn't sure so I decided I would play ignorant if I was asked.

Old Parliament

Further into the city I came across State Parlimant Building where the Australian Government used to be before it moved to Canberra. I thought maybe, possibly, it might be interesting to go in and have a look around. It was free after all. 'Maybe another day,' I think, 'when I have more time.' Second fail!

The Hotel Windsor

I walked past a very posh looking hotel on my way to the Botanic Gardens. I thought about hanging around to try and see some famous people as it seemed like the kind of place they would be at just ahead of the Grand Prix but I carried on.

My favourite spot

Into the Botanic Gardens now and I found my favourite spot in the whole Melbourne. The peacefulness and tranquillity of the garden with the skyscrapers looking like they've grown straight out of the field like the trees. With the risk of sounding like a complete artsy fartsy douche it was very picturesque and I don't think this photo does it justice.

John F Kennedy Memorial

This was odd. I didn't really understand why there would be a memorial for an American president in Australia. I meant to find out but I never did. Maybe someone can shed some light on this for me?

Cooks Cottage

I was initially impressed by the oldest building in Australia (Cooks Cottage) which was built in 1755 until I discovered that it wasn't even built in this country. It was built in England and was moved to Melbourne in 1934. I'm pretty sure they would have had to dismantle it for that so yeah, it is the oldest building in Australia but it isn't the oldest construction which is not nearly as impressive! Its supposed to remind people of the connection to the British Empire and James Cook.

Miniature Tudor Village

Another random feature in the park was this miniature Tudor village complete with gas grid! This was next to the 'Fairy tree' where fairies have been carved and painted onto the side of a tree for some reason.

I have absolutely no idea!

Warney

Out of the park and back to the stuff where I know what I'm talking about, sport. I went to the Melbourne Cricket Ground which is just on the outskirts of the CBD where I spotted Shane Warne. Unfortunately not the real one but a statue. I went into the entrance of the museum where I could almost see into the ground so I took a quick picture before deciding that I would come back and pay for the tour when I was earning money. I think thats three fails now!

Inside the MCG

MCG

Melbourne Park with Hisense Arena in the background

A short walk over the train tracks is Melbourne Park, home of Australian Open Tennis Tournament. I quite fancied a look in the Rod Laver Arena to see the place where Andy Murray had lost the grand slam final just two months ago this but you had to go on a tour.Yet another fail!

Rod Laver Arena

Federation Square Steps

I walked back into the city and to the most well known place in Melbourne, Federation Square. If there's something going on in this city then its happening here. I can remember a scene from Neighbours being filmed here. Speaking of Neighbours I was planning to go on the tour. I'm sure you can see where this is going ...FAIL!

Federation Square

Australian Centre for the Moving Image

Hollie told me of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image which sounds dull but you can go and play games all day long. There was a lot of old school games but you could also play Mario Kart on the Wii and a racing game on the Xbox. I think I wasted an hour in here before deciding I should probably go and see some other stuff.

Flinders Street Station

I hopped on a tram for the first time to get to the other side of the city where they had recently opened a new shopping district. It was crap so I walked back towards the city where I found a random statue of Dame Edna as you do.

Looked like it had been left here by mistake

Etihad Stadium

Whilst I was walking back to the hostel I was thinking about how awesome it would be to do the Great Ocean Road once I had some money and as its so close. Nope, Fail!

I like to think for the sake of the blog title that the next bit was part of the same day but it wasn't. It was on the Monday after the grand prix when I met up with Marina, the french girl I'd met in Adelaide.

A building in a building

That evening Marina and I went to meet Chelsea and Sam from Leeds. It was so nice to catch up with them again and Sams beard as grown a lot since Port Douglas! We went to St Kilda Beach for a chance to watch the penguins.

St Kilda

Sunset

Its a strange thing to think of penguins living so close to massive city, and in Australia! I was told all I have to do is go down to the pier on st kilda just after sunset and there will be loads of them. So down we went where we waited for about an hour freezing ourselves with about a hundred over people until they finally started to appear.

Penguin hiding in the rock

I LOVE PENGUINS! They are so flipping awesome! (no pun intended!). Just waddling around and jumping over the rocks. These werent the easiest of rocks to negotiate so everytime one fell over there was a collective "Awwww."

I tried my best to get some decent pictures but there was little light and camera flashes are banned. I would have loved to get a video of them but I couldn't.

What you looking at!

Whilst I was walking back to the hostel I spotted Eureka Tower in the distance which has an observation deck at the top which would have been good to go to. Fail Fail Fail!

All these fails is because that was it, that was my Melbourne trip over with. I had one more day to sort my stuff out and then I was off to work on a farm in Bundaberg. I had planned on staying in Melbourne a few weeks to earn some money and see some stuff but I couldn't afford to turn down paid farming work and the chance to get my second year visa so off I went.

I liked Melbourne. I saw lots but did little so I will be returning to do the stuff I missed and if I ever get the chance I would love to come back and see the Melbourne Grand Prix again because that thing is epic! (see next blog!)