I convinced Travis that we should leave the Gong as it is so aptly called sometimes and head out to the artsy/cultural capital of Australia - Melbourne. The first thing I needed to do besides book o
ur trip was to stop calling it Mel-born. You see the folks down under refer to it as Mel-burn kind of like how Cairns in Queensland is pronounced as Cans. Go figure. To minimize expenditures (for everything in Australia is crazy expensive - a 20 oz Coke can cost up to 3 bucks) we planned to jet to and fro Melbourne with Tiger Airways and stay at a
quaint little hotel. Operation Minimize Expenses in Melbourne translated to taking the crappiest, tiniest, rudest airline and sleeping on bunk beds. My kind of trip. Bunk bed-sleeping was fun the 1st night, but I was ready for a double bed by the 3rd.
I must agree the flight to Melbourne was very unpleasant. I took for granted the sunshine we experienced earlier in the day and didn’t take into account the storm rolling in. From takeoff to landing, the plane fought severe turbulence. I’m thankful the flight was only an hour and five minutes long. All I could think was, just get us there safely and I’ll be sure to celebrate my time in Melbourne. The turbulence sucked. I let out an “Oh my God” here and there. I had never experienced anything like it. I kept thinking please don’t let me die at the hands of Tiger Airways. Thankfully, God was listening and looking out. It was bad, but not as bad as she thought.
We arrived at our hotel - the Clarem
ont Guesthouse - in South Yarra, checked in and then bolted for downtown Melbourne. We hopped on the #8 Tram and in 15 minutes arrived in Melbourne’s CBD. The transportation system in Australia is first-class. Multi-modal, efficient and fairly clean. Sums up my mobility experience thus far. I hope some cities (i.e. Seattle) would take note. We took in a few sights, Flinders Street Station and part of the arts district before stopping to take pictures in front of the CBD Christmas Tree. It felt weird seeing a Christmas Tree before Thanksgiving in Australia and in the spring season. I think Adayna was enjoying the walk (as usual) but of course, my eyes were on the swivel for the first bar break. At last, I found one. I don’t remember its name, but it had outdoor seating and Michael Jackson on the loud speaker. That was enough for me. I’m there. First drink is on me.
Our first and only bar stop that night was cute. Good music, yummy wine and a few interesting folks for us to chat up with nearby. Travis met this one young man who we talked to for a while. His parents hail from Cape Verde and East Timor which meant his complexion looked a bit like ours. I’ve been drawn in by the few brown-skinned people I’ve seen throughout my travels in Australia. The sightings have been rare. I don’t know how Trez does it. I swear sometimes he is the only black guy in New South Wales.
The young mate was cool. He attended the “Uni” - short for an Australia University. He spoke of his singing abilities and how he would like to come to the States to hear and work with artists. The most interesting part of it all is he sings gospel. I admire that. I grew up in a gospel-singing family. I sang a little myself back in the day. I thought to bring out a little of my “Kirk Franklin” on him, but decided to wait another day.
The next day we got up really early hoping to book a spot on the Great Ocean Road tour. Unfortunately, the tours are usually booked a day or two
in advance. So we were out of luck and had to go with plan two. We decided to make this a day of sightseeing and exploration. Our plan was to go back to the CBD, visit the waterfront, and find a good eatery or two to sustain us. Within two minutes of our walk, I spotted a suit sale sign that I could not resist. Having lost some weight over the past year, it was past time I restock my wardrobe. It is springtime in Australia and with wool suits on sale, I knew I needed one before my move to a cold NYC. We spent an hour or so browsing and chatting with Kathy the salesperson about suits, her admiration for President Obama, her long distance relationship experience, and sights of Melbourne. (Kathy met her husband in Perth. They loved from afar - she in Cyprus, he in Perth. They have been married now for over a decade. Definitely great for Travis and I to hear.)
She was a great salesperson; best interaction I’ve had during this entire Aussie experience. I took this time to give Adayna a “101” on how to spot and buy suits of my preference. I’m quite picky when buying clothes and I want my “wife-to-be” to be comfortable picking out and buying things for me even in my absence. With the pressure mounting, she was able to select not one, but two suits that met my approval. It was a little costly, but what do you expect? I can’t go to NYC with cheap suits. No way! I was happy with my purchases. I used the New York in me to have the Kathy throw in two ties for free!
Suit shopping can sure make you hungry! We headed to Waterfront City immediately where we found a 50% off lunch deal. Our feast included steak, Mediterranean delicacies, vino and the usual drink of choice for Travis - a cranberry vodka. At Waterfront City you can find outlet-like shopping, that is if you are lucky enough to reach them before 5. When do Australians shop? Never seen anything like it. I guess they value the opportunity to be home with family after work.
I was ready to catch more sights after our late, pre-evening first meal. I think Travis was ready for nap time. However, I persuaded him to hop on the tram and head to Fitzroy, described as a bohemian, laid back, artsy kind of neighborhood. We hopped off and enjoyed a few local beers on Smith St. We even shared some neon-colored shots. Hey, when you are on vacation you just can. After a “convincing” from Adayna, we headed over to what was described as the artsy, clubby neighborhood in Melbourne. When I exited the tram i felt as if I was back in Seattle for that matter. It felt so much like the times I strolled Broadway between Pike and John - also known as Capitol Hill. The buildings, the boutiques and of course, my grungy, eclectic people. Though amazed I found Capitol Hill down under and interested to verify, I was still tired and wanting a nap. Having been dragged out by Adayna (it’s what I do) I negotiated a compromise. At first sight of a bar, I was going to stop.
Our night didn’t end at Fitzroy because I am Adayna after all. Post drinks, I pulled out the map and figured we’d hop on the 112 to yet another Melbourne hood, St. Kilda. En route to the tram, we identified the PJ’s (every major city’s got to have some) and came across more Seattle-like folk cooking up food on the corner like it was a mobile homeless shelter. Our ride to St. Kilda was long. I thought I’d lose my “Map Girl” crown because of this one. Alas, my status remained in tact. In St. Kilda, we grabbed food and drink before our long walk to the 79 tram. On our way there we even saw what appeared to be prostitutes and several drunk backpackers. Still, St. Kilda, was cute. It’s situated south of the Melbourne CBD and sits off of St. Kilda beach. Lots of activity at night. And walking!
I’m sure Adayna will avoid sharing this, but she’s the self-proclaimed Map Girl, assuming the role of my guide pretty much this entire trip. While wrapping up in St. Kilda, aware that the trams stop running around the midnight hour we prepared for a Cinderella dash after drinks and dinner. After a nice Italian meal, I was REALLY ready to go to bed. My “guide” swore we had a 2 block walk to the tram stop according to her map. No complaints from me. I was anxious to get it over and done with. While on this walk, I noticed the pedestrian traffic thinned, the temperature dropped, the ladies of the night were commanding their posts and I went from Beverly Hills to Compton, meaning this walk was over 20 blocks. Ooh you are such an exagerao! The map was not detailed and so it did look like 2 blocks. So much for her map read. I enjoyed the day but clearly she could have let me find rest sooner. I’ll be sure to remember that my love.
Finally back at the hotel, we prepare for an early morning to hit the Great Ocean Road. We decided to share a bunk bed tonight. I’ll let you know how this goes tomorrow.
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