From Northern Thailand to Oz: It’s a Long Way!!
As of mid-December 2024, we’ve had our last pile of Khao Soi, which marked the bittersweet end to our 10 months in East and Southeast Asia as we launch into our sixth continent. That’s right, to Oz! We are finally traversing our way to the Land Down Under, and poor Greg has had to listen to Mandy sing Men at Work for the past 48 hours.
It is there we’d be spending the holidays and next three months in both Australia and New Zealand. On our way to the upside down from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and Bangkok to Melbourne, we lounge hopped at three different locations.
The first flight was $109 out of pocket for both of us on Air Asia. We discussed taking the 12-hour sleeper train, but it was only about $30 more to fly so we bit the bullet. The second flight was $40 on Jet Star, also using 31,000 Capital One Venture X points to offset our $395 annual fee on that card which was also just charged.
As usual, the best credit card, (Capital Venture X for you fellow US travelers) deliciously launched us out of our economically prudent element and thrust us into a bougie fantasy land. True to name, Bangkok’s “Coral Finest First Class Lounge” was the finest lounge we’ve ever been in within our minimal lounge existence. The phenomenal buffet selection included loads of mouthwatering fresh veggies…
…and even hoity toity canapés, which may have also offered the best three spoonfuls of chocolate ganache we’ve ever had, and sushi (with real wasabi) and British kindergarten sandwiches.
Between our glutinous gorge sessions, a free 15-minute upper body massage was also included for each of us, as well as an insanely ridiculous cocktail menu.
Mandy’s White Russian, a quite isolated treat. It even had little hearts floating on top to remind her how much she’d love it. 🤣 Also, Greg…and his 17th margarita.
Lots of places to lounge and relax. This lounge also offered beds for longer stays. Heading out, it was interesting to view the contrast between real airport life…where we were a year ago…and lounge airport life, where we are today. What a ridiculous game changer this credit card has been for us.
In the Chiang Mai airport lounge, we also tried durian ice cream again thinking the horrendous taste might have grown on us. It didn’t.
Bangkok’s first airport lounge called Miracle had super comfy couches, and a DIY bar, where Greg didn’t waste anytime getting started. (Disclaimer: this was before the 17th margarita in Bangkok). Mmm. Thank god we don’t live like this everyday. 🤣
The Anxiety of Arriving to Oz and Our Stay in the Ghetto
After a restorative nine hours of slumber on Australia’s popular budget airline, Jetstar, we were perky and ready to roll into Australian immigration and customs for the first time. Thanks to applying for our $26 USD visa well in advance, immigration was a breeze. Customs, on the other hand, can be a bit more…distressing …in Australia thanks to horror stories we’ve heard, police dogs, and an ominous video they show you on the plane about what to declare…making it clear you should “not be sorry” and declare anything and everything, which may or may not include that crumb of popcorn caked into the bottom of your day bag. Mandy’s dad once got stopped for a tic tac he didn’t declare, so…
For us, in reality, this included our medications, Greg’s booty of Brazil nuts for his thyroid, and our spice bag. Fortunately, a man with silky long hair and a grim face simply asked us what we declared…we answered…and walked on through without getting raided or sniffed up by a Labrador.
By this time, it was around 11:43 am in Oz which meant we were four hours closer to bedtime than we would have been in Thailand. Whoohoo! But first, we had to figure out the transport system and work our way two hours southeast to the apparent “ghetto” of Melbourne where we were naturally staying for the evening…
The custom lines at Melbourne Airport took about 45 minutes, but seemed efficient and organized despite the large crowds and the scare tactics.
By this point, Greg was riding the fast train to Grouch Town without any caffeine in his system so we pulled over for our first Aussie purchase. Naturally when he told the sorta snappy (AUD $30/hour waged*) barista he just wanted plain coffee with milk, they told him they were out rather than explaining how coffee culture works here. *=$18.75 USD. Instead, he ordered a minuscule 8 oz shot of cappuccino for $3.86 (USD) not realizing he actually wanted a long black with a dash of milk. You just need to be savvy enough to know this and at 11:43 with no sleep, nor knowledge of coffee culture in Oz, we definitely weren’t. 🤣
Stumbling wearily out to public transport area, we found the Sky Bus, which would whisk us 40 minutes to the center for a whopping $33 for two tickets. Things we noticed before taking a completely vertical snooze which had been impossible the night before…A. After nearly 11 months of travel, we could eavesdrop on every conversation. B. The bus company made an announcement paying a tribute to and respecting the aboriginal peoples of this land. Wow.
From here, we’d arrived to the central train station of Melbourne, which undeniably took a page out of Europe’s book in its development, where we figured out how to buy our Myki transport cards and load them with credit. We also learned Burger Kings are called Hungry Jacks in the upside down. According to Wikipedia, when Burger King moved to expand its operations into Australia, it found that its business name was already trademarked by a takeaway food shop in Adelaide so the Canadian-Australian franchisee, Jack Cowin to form the new name “Hungry Jack’s”.
From the central station, we had another 45-minute journey southeast to the suburb of Dandenong. This is where we had booked our hotel for the night, which according to our housesit owners, made it seem like a veritable ghetto. Uhhh…if this is a ghetto in quite safe Melbourne, you Aussies really need a reality check on how good you have it. 🤣
Anywho, after dodging a few bullets and a couple muggings, we checked into the real reason we came to Dandenong…The Holiday Inn, which we got for free with a point redemption of 12,000 points thanks to our new IHG hotel card, which gave us 100,000 points as a sign-up bonus. Naturally this redemption rate was less than most in Melbourne…and now we knew why…it was in the “crime corridor.”
Needless to say, in our red eye stupor, we fell like potato sacks into our floofy bed for several hours, before emerging from our bleary-eyed cave to head across the street to our third favorite grocery store ever…(after Grocery Outlet and Trader Joe’s.)
It is here we’d admire the wine bottles as if they were little grape angels streaming from Oztopia. Instead, we reluctantly picked up dinner…a delicious $3.75 pumpkin and couscous mint salad, some berries, and breakfast for the following morning.
We then wandered over to our first exposure to Melbourne’s amazing parks, where we grabbed a bench, observed some poignant signage…
…and began noticing the distinctly unusual bird life in the form of our first Magpie. Despite its crow-like facade, it surprisingly emits a bizarre and eclectic melody, which sounds a bit like the sound a squeegee makes when wiping windows. It really was a lovely park. In fact, in our solitary night, we got a great vibe from Dandenong…despite what may be portrayed on the evening news. Like much of the world…🤣
But…to ease any pain and suffering, the safe and reliable Holiday Inn also provided us welcome drinks upon our return. I guess this is what a credit card with “silver status” will get you?! Here we go again!
Easing into the Aussie Lifestyle
Melding into life in Melbourne’s lush and green Glen Iris neighborhood felt as easy as falling back into the rhythm of being in Portland at the best time of year…the summer. From the well-stocked supermarkets, to the ease of public transport, to the wonderful home we stayed in, to the historic walkable neighbourhoods, to of course the happy-go-lucky language, it all feels familiar and easy. What still gave it a little foreign flavour, however, was the little reminder we’re in Australia…most notably due to the symphony of strange bird calls, dog chews made of kangaroo, and cricket being played by all the neighbor kids in lieu of soccer.
Our client for the month was a sweet chocolate lab named Bubba. He was a slower moving older pup so his parents preferred he’s only walked every few days, which makes managing him even easier. However, walking in that neighborhood was a true pleasure. By the way, just a reminder, if you are interested in pet-sitting for free accommodation, or having a free pet-sitter, don’t forget about Trusted Housesitters. Use the link to save 25% off the annual fee! 🙂
The house we stayed in was enveloped by nature trails, reserves and wetlands in every direction, so we only had to go about five minutes to immerse ourselves in surroundings that look like above. After a year of so many less-than-walkable places, it made getting our daily 10,000 steps in much more pleasurable and fun.
Another reason that made these walks fun was the copious amounts of exotic and colorful bird life….birds that unfortunately are typically seen in cages in other parts of the world. For example, the rainbow-splattered lorikeets…which have loud chattering calls and a plumage that would make any tie-dyed shirt envious. We would undeniably miss seeing them flit and chatter around the neighborhood. It’s still mind-blowing to us that a bird this iridescent swoops around like a pigeon here.
And, perched on a power line like any ‘ol pigeon…we also spotted quite a few cockatoos, which are highly intelligent parrots native to Australia and Indonesia. These birds can live up to 60 years in the wild and in Aboriginal Australia are apparently seen as messengers of love and joy.
After a few days, we also saw our first Kookaburra, which are a quintessential part of Australian culture, which definitely wasn’t our last. They have a distinctive laughter-like call and are totally adorable.
And what’s really crazy about the birds? They didn’t even seem to mind if you get quite close to them, even with this ‘lil beast underfoot!
One of the many walking/cycling paths, and the walking trails, or tracks, as they’re called in this land. We felt super fortunate to be surrounded by such gorgeous nature so close to our house!
The education state gets what proper urban planning looks like, at least. Another thing they seem to get?! Why easy-to-understand food labels are critical. These are on the majority of products, as well as an analysis on how much of that product comes from Australia. Freakin’ brilliant.
We were extra delighted to have found one of our favorite money-saving stores Aldi, where of course we were interested in the cheap, and quite decent bottles of wine which can come to as little as $2.50 USD. We found groceries to be quite reasonable in price and either comparable or cheaper than in the States. This first load at Aldi was equal to $83.07. The receipt in AUD. The items noticeably cheaper in Oz included dairy products, nuts, hummus, and fruit. We dropped it into Chat GBT to convert the pricing.
We’re especially indulging in berries, which were currently in season, which cost about $1.43 for 250 grams of strawberries. (About a 1/2 pint) To be honest, they’re not much better than the kind we get in the States, typically grown in California. They work perfect for oats and yogurt, however.
Another thing we hadn’t had all year….mmmm. Here, the tortilla chips come in the form of surf boards rather than top-of-the-mouth-stabbing scoops. This buy was also astounding. 200 wild fish oil pills from Priceline Pharmacy for about $18 USD. WOW!
Picking out Bubba’s Christmas present was where it got even more surprising. Firstly, this is the “pet treat bar” at Cole’s Supermarket (also in walking distance of our house.) Secondly, we got to choose from things like… goat horns, kangaroo tail disks, kangaroo paw, and cow trachea. Ewww….
Moving on from the supermarkets… the houses in Glen Iris were also quite a sight. You could find ultra modern, right next to French elegance, and a Portland-style bungalow complete with overflowing garden.
They were even homes converted from storefronts of yesteryear, and bursting agapanthus flowers resembling fireworks were everywhere.
An Australian postbox set up shop on this tree-lined street.
Some of the nearby neighborhoods we could walk to…like Camberwell. We were surprised to find the historic feel…and we loved it.
Back at our place, the pool which could be enjoyed every few days, thanks to the ever-fluctuating temperatures …thanks to the ever-fluctuating temperatures (which range from highs of 18-37 C for the non-American or Burmese folks.) Having a housesit for a month also meant we could enjoy things like daily naps again.
Enjoying dinner al fresco also became a nightly occurrence, as was spending time with this sweet little buddy. It’s was a really good sit, which we’d return to again and again.
Hiking in Sherbrooke Forest
During the pandemic, the City of Melbourne became notorious for having some of the most Draconian lockdown measures on the planet. These included 9 pm curfews, time-limited exercise, mask mandates, essential shopping restrictions and limits, border closures between states, and the inability to leave a 5 km radius from your home, unless for a doctor’s appointment.
This is why our new neighbour, Ollie, decided to begin scheduling regular acupuncture appointments 45 minutes away near his favourite hiking area of Sherbrooke Forest…so he could simply go on a hike, or bushwalk as they’re called in Australia. To this day, Ollie heads over to Sherbrooke Forest, in the Dandenong Ranges, once a week for an appointment and very generously invited us along for the ride.
Ambling into the Sherbrooke Forest was our first exposure to a genuine wilderness area down under. And it only took moments to become immersed by a cacophony of chattering and shrieking pterodactyl-esque birds swooping through a sea of tree ferns and eucalyptus. This temperate rainforest was utterly…Jurassic.
Mandy completed the Jurassic fashion statement with yoga pants tucked into red socks because Ollie had just warned us in the car about leeches.
This fine blonde mulleted specimen was our first official cockatoo, because the one we found and posted above was apparently only a cockatoo cousin. This is the only one we got close to, though we saw several new birds, including the lyre.
The season on this particular morning was spring because we’re quickly learning Melbourne’s tendency to embrace all four seasons in a week…or even a day! Also, Sherbrooke “Falls” was a bit of a letdown…basically a flowing creek.
The trails were very well groomed and meandered in many directions throughout the forest. We hiked for a couple hours, and all the trails we experienced were just superb. The Dandenong Range National Park is a set of low mountain ranges in Victoria, about 22 miles east of Melbourne.
The way that most tourist arrive up here is via the historic “Puffing Billy” Steam Train, which costs AUD$62 or, about $38 round trip/each. We got to see the cute station, but concluded we were more than grateful for our ride up, and then the opportunity to take the regular train back from the Belgrave station, which instead cost about $3.10 USD each.
Urban Wandering: Street Art
It didn’t take long for Melbourne to become one of our favorite places in 2024 for urban wandering thanks to its natural reserves, extravagant gardens, elegant historic arcade blocks, and graceful European architecture. It’s also quite renowned for its vibrant, eclectic and constantly evolving street art loaded alley, or laneways, as they’re known in Australia, which serve as open-air galleries for Melbourne’s cultural identity. Some of the works are obvious masterpieces, while some of it simply seems like graffiti or a child’s play. Either way, it gives artists a chance to express themselves.
Some of the hot spots we visited included: Hosier Lane (not to be confused with Hoosier), AC/DC Lane, and Little Bourke Street. This show-stopper was found at the far west end of Little Bourke Street. Also, I’m pretty sure we should know who these weird little Santa-esque characters are?!
It doesn’t matter what you do to Patrick Swayze, he’ll forever be hot…thought Mandy.
A Banksy-looking COVID statement of our time.
Hosier Lane functions as a “temple” for many street artists due to it iconic status and continuous evolution as an outdoor gallery, according to Chat GBT.
This scene looks straight out of a comic book…we waited a few minutes for Spiderman to clamber down the wall, but it didn’t happen. It was notably clean for a graffitied alleyway.
A beautiful tribute to the aboriginal people.
The only way Oz is gonna see a snowman this Christmas. Or, a slight juxtaposition…a Christmas tree encompassed by Stars of David.
Moving over to AC/DC Lane, we paid our tribute to Australia’s legendary rock band. It was once known as “Corporation Lane” and officially renamed in 2004 to honor the band’s connection to Melbourne. In the renaming ceremony, Melbourne’s mayor remarked, “As the song says, there is a highway to hell, but this is a laneway to heaven. Let us rock.” (Chat GBT) These laneways seemed also feature some clubs and bars with serious potential for keeping us up past our bedtime.
“Aboriginal Lives Matters” emerged as a response to “Black Lives Matter to highly their own struggles with systemic inequality and racism within Australia. Like in the States, aboriginals are vastly overrepresented in the prison system, deaths while in custody and historical oppression. Unique to Australia has been calls for recognition for their unique connection to the land, addressing gaps in basic services like education and healthcare, and recognition of stolen generations which forcibly removed indigenous children from their families. It’s interesting to begin learning parallels between here and the States.
Not sure the story behind this man, but his eyes sure are piercing. Nature blending with comfort depict a powerful message in this image…though we’re also not sure what it represents either.
Urban Wanderings: Arcades
Another one of Melbourne’s must see sights during a day of urban wandering is the architectural jewels of the historic arcade blocks, which seemingly transports you to some of Italy’s finest thoroughfares. Some of the popular ones we visited included: the Royal Arcade, which features an unlikely pair in Gog & Magog, the Block Arcade, showcasing an uppity high tea rooms and the world’s oldest barber shop, and Centreway Arcade, a historic passage now loaded with trendy restaurants.
Also, you’ll find plenty of other lanes and alleys with character and charm like Hardware, Niagara and DeGraves. And, so long as you resist temptation for a $6 coffee or $8 beer, you can do it all for free!
The entrance to the Royal Arcade, which is the oldest one in the country established in 1870. It leads way to an exquisite glass canopy and classic black and white tile floors, which are truly swoon worthy.
Towards the end of the ravishing walkway, you’ll find the Gaunt’s Clock with two giant mythical statues flanking the clock dial…named Gog and Magog.
According to Atlas Obscura, “since 1892, these two medieval warriors have watched over the southern side of the arcade, striking the chimes with their mechanical arms. Each is about seven feet tall, and carved from pine by a man named Mortimer Godfrey. He modeled the two on similar figures that watch over Guildhall in London, where the same characters have been the guardians of the city since…you know…the 15th century.
Although variations of the characters of Gog and Magog appear in many ancient texts, including the Old Testament and the Quran, these two are actually a jumble of several religious stories and pagan myths, more grounded in medieval lore than the Bible.”
Moving on, we entered the Block Arcade which was opened in 1892 and known for its elaborate mosaic tile floors (the biggest in the southern hemisphere according to Chat GPT), and wrought iron detailing. And wow, was it busy!
The stunning mosaic at its entrance.
And so was the accompanying Hopetoun Tea Room. Guess they don’t have an issue finding people excited to drop AUD$75 ($47 USD) for a high tea experience. Crazy. The desserts look good. But do they look that good? 🤣
Across the way, you’ll find the oldest barber shop in the whole world dating from 1805, according to a Guinness Book of World Records plaque. Of course, when you read the fine print this is not the actual location. The actual location is in London. Anyhow, after your pinkie raising tea experience, you can donate another AUD $90 ($56 USD) for the Royal Cut: “the ultimate classic men’s cut and wash by our Master Barbers.” This is why Greg cuts his own hair in “expensive” countries .
From here, we walked toward Hardware Land, which was accessorized with al fresco dining options under colorful bricked historic walls.
This was quaint, but what we really loved was the nearby and vacant Niagara Lane lined with former red-bricked warehouses dating from the 1880s. These buildings even have their original architectural features, including “barrel hoists”—historic pulley and hook stocking systems used during the horse and cart days for loading goods.
Another unique feature about Melbourne’s center? Very vintage underground toilets in the middle of the sidewalk.
The Centreway Arcade passage where people were eating Banh Mi’s on Vietnamese-esque stools for about $10 USD. We are grateful we got to experience the real deal for $1 this year. 🤣
Peeping in the window of a restaurant on DeGraves Street. Everyone looks grumpy. This is where Australia, like the US, is expensive and why we’ve committed to not eating out. The difference is in Australia the servers get ~$19 USD base rate/hour.
Also, Australian “delicacies” include the AUD $42 Kangaroo or Crocodile Burger. Even with the current amazing exchange rate for $26, those are critters we personally wouldn’t be having a nibble of them.
Fitzroy Gardens
The aimless roaming in Melbourne continued in Fitzroy Gardens, one of many luxuriant green spaces sprinkled throughout the city with an obvious nod to Victorian-area design. Although we expected it to be just a simple walk in the park, we were quite surprised by some of the treasures within.
One such treasure we stumbled upon was a teensy cottage that very much reminded us of times we’ve spent in England, (though the pissing rain was notably missing.) Apparently, the cottage did indeed come from England and was and was somehow neatly packaged up and shipped to Oz in 1934. It belongs to the parents of Captain James Cook, who was extraordinarily successful in keeping his crew alive at a time in history when Vitamin C deficiency, or scurvy, killed many sailors.
Also within the park is the Model Tudor Village, a whimsical mini British wonderland, which will likely engage the senses of any child.
Likewise, for the “Fairies Tree,” an arboreal creation featuring gnomes, fairies, and kangaroos suited for any storybook.
This place was perfect to get away from the bustle of the Central Business District. The park included the Conservatory, dating from 1930, which was established for displaying greenhouse plants, but on the day we went was the site of a wedding photo shoot. That said, inside the conservatory was a big sign that said “no brides allowed.” Ouch.
The oldest cottage in the park once belonged to the head gardener, James Sinclair, dating from 1864. Not a bad place to lay down your rake…
Meanwhile, the “Scarred Tree” is aptly named by the gash that was created when the Wurundjeri Aboriginal people removed bark to make canoes, shields, food and: water containers, string, baby carriers and other items.
Just outside the park, you can find the imposing 1800’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which is the fanciest Euro-looking church we’ve seen so far in Melbourne.
Nearby is also a notable, and quite loopy, work of art called the “Great Petition.” When suffragists campaigned for the vote in the late 19th century, critics said that women (naturally) had no interest in political rights. Leading activists sought support from both men and women throughout Victoria and this giant petition with 30,000 signatures, later to be known as the Monster Petition, was offered up to parliament in 1891 as evidence of widespread support for equal voting rights for women. Yet the continuing opposition of the parliament, which knocked back numerous bills, meant that women had to wait another seventeen years before they were given voting rights in Victoria in 1908. Victoria was in fact, the last Australian State to grant women the suffrage, and even then most indigenous women would be denied political rights until 1962.
The FREE Royal Botanic Gardens
As we’ve mentioned, we were beyond impressed with the urban planning of this city. In fact, it’s probably the best we’ve ever seen and kinda puts our beloved former home of Portland to shame when you realize what’s actually possible. From its numerous and endless networks of biking/walking greenways, easy-to-manage metro/bus/tram lines, public exercise gyms, dogs parks, tremendous playgrounds, little homelessness, community efforts like Little Free Libraries, for books and even bike/skateboard tools, recycling programs, produce shops, among many other things…it is obviously a quite lovely place to live. But the icing on the cake from our perspective has been its parks, of which we saved the best for last.
Of course, wandering into the FREE Royal Botanic Gardens, is not simply a walk in the park. This biodiverse swath of land established in 1846 sweeps 94 acres (38 hectares) with more than 8500 plant species and some incredibly unique specialised gardens, including one loaded with giant fruit bats, aka flying foxes, as they are more endearingly known in Oz.
This is a healthy way of how cities should look and feel, and it’s evident by the appearance and activity levels of its older residents. We even saw a guy who literally looked like a full-bearded skinny Santa Claus jogging through the park!
That said, definitely make sure to pack and picnic and stay awhile! Throughout the park, it was common to find ponds boasting a sea of lotus flowers, which we’ve seen all over SE Asia this year. However, the ones in SEA were usually a bit more modest than this dinner-plate-sized knock-out who decided to bare all. This show-stopper is the Clivia, or bush lily, which are native to Southern Africa, particularly forested areas, but are well-suited to growth in similar climates, like Australia’s.
Oh those lotus flowers!
And pecking around underfoot just like chickens, we found lots of Australian Swamphens. Or, this explosion of color is called the Cerise (Cherry) Queen.
This. Is. A. City. Park!!!
Stumbling onto a little meditation cubby in the most deliciously lush section of the park, Fern Gully, where as you could expect, towering tree ferns paint the walk ways.
It’s also where hundred and hundreds of grey-headed flying foxes, which is way more adorable than “bat,” could be found roosting high up in the trees. In fact, they’re a bit more like gentle puppies…with wings.
These bats are quite large, with a wingspan of up to a meter (3.3 feet) and are native to the eastern coast of Australia. They are critical pollinators for many native plants, including eucalyptus trees and play an essential role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. It was quite an experience to hear them flapping and chattering from down below.
This park really couldn’t be any more picturesque. On the Eucalypt Lawn, we found another eye-catching flower called a “strawflower,” which is known for its vibrant, papery flowers often used in dried arrangements. Are you sure it’s not already dried?!
Taken from the top of Guilfoyle’s Volcano, which is another unique landscape within the garden. It was originally built in 1876 as a water reservoir to supply the gardens during the late 19th Century. Today, after years of disuse, it again functions as part of the gardens’ innovative water management system and houses arid-zone plants which don’t need much H20 themselves. It’s a really beautiful area.
More Explorations in the CBD
In Australia, the city centres, or downtowns are referred to as the Central Business Districts, or CBDs, not to be confused with the nefarious substance. As alluded to in previous posts, in Melbourne’s it is a true pleasure to explore and wander. By the way, in case you didn’t know, Mel-born is actually pronounced Mel-bun. If you butcher this in front of a local, you will rightfully get schooled.
This section captures some of the other random things we saw and experienced …
The Federal Square, currently renamed Christmas Square, where the city’s official holiday icon clearly represented “Trees of Christmas Future.” It was developed with cartoonish artificial limbs and a most likely, a superbly dancing and timed light show that illuminates it every night. We missed it, because you know, we’re usually in by 8 p.m. (Except New Year’s Eve when we were sleep sacrificial badasses.)
On the lawn outside of the State Library is a terrific place for people watching. The entire population of Melbourne’s air rats seem to congregate on these quite willing statues…
….while a family plays a rousing game of chess at the classic Corinthian columned entrance, which was finished in 1854.
Besides the people watching, the State Library (obviously free) itself is well worth heading inside for, especially for this airy dome, which is a pearly elaborate icon for the city. The dome measures 34.75 meters in diameter and height, with an oculus nearly 5 meters wide, making it the largest in the world upon its completion.
Also inside were various exhibits including a photographic one by Barat Ali Batoor, a Hazara Afghani, which we found quite moving. It told the extraordinary story of the photographer’s flee from his homeland of Afghanistan to Australia in 2012. He was forced to flee after publishing a piece in the Washington Post exposing the trade of underage prostitution in his homeland of Afghanistan, for which he became the target of death threats. This was one of the many photographs within the exhibit.
Another notable item found in the library was the armour worn by Ned Kelly at the siege that ultimately killed him in 1880. Yes, despite the look of it…it was 1880. Not the Middle Ages. Who’s Ned Kelly? Basically the Wild Bill Hitchcock of Australia….an Australian bushranger, outlaw, gang leader and convicted police-murderer. This suit managed 24 bullets from the police and didn’t even kill him til days later. He was indeed a tough cookie.
Interestingly, despite his sordid past, “Kelly has progressed from outlaw to national hero in a century, and to international icon in a further 20 years. The still-enigmatic, slightly saturnine and ever-ambivalent bushranger is the undisputed, if not universally admired, national symbol of Australia,” according to Wikipedia.
The Ian Potter Center, an art gallery built in 1972 seems to be the premature concept of web design. It is one of many museums in Melbourne we’d love to visit. But, we can’t really justify spending our days in museums when everyday is springlike and perfect.
Moving into Chinatown, we found a cheery Chinese dumpling house called Shanghai House, which claims to have cheap eats and quality food. No, we didn’t try it. Australia and eating out do not go hand in hand for Mandy & Greg. But wait….what?! Is that Khao Soi!?! Remember a month ago when we were slurping this down 3 times a week for $1.50 in Thailand? Now it’s $13 USD. Ummm. No.
The Chinese gate. Guarded by Nutcrackers. Go figure…Another thing you don’t see everyday. Stretch limousine Ferraris. $290k. Yes. It’s the world’s fastest limo.
The historic Flinders Street Station dates from 1854 and is Australia’s oldest railway station. By the 1920’s, it was also the world’s busiest reflecting Melbourne’s rapid growth.
Prior to 2008, it was common for Melburnians to “meet under the clocks” at the entrance to this station. Now they just send the GPS location to where their friends can find them…scrolling on their phone.
Wandering into Queen Victoria Market, which has been serving the people of Melbourne for 140 years. But this lovely view of the skyline is probably a bit more recent.
It has a little bit of everything, including one building that seems to specialise in getting tourists to spread their wallets for a pair of “Pure Aussie Uggs” and similar items.
Naturally, the building we liked the most was the more functional one with things like “pure Aussie EGGS.” The produce is simply amazing here. They had everything from 30 trays of Free Range Eggs for AUD$24.50 ($15.23/each)…(a hefty $.50 an egg), to boxes of plump cherries which went for AUD$11.99/kilo or $7.45…
…to “Rock Melons”…yep, those would be cantaloupes for $2.80/each. Another thing the produce markets in Australia have is gargantuan glossy bell peppers (called capsicum here!) for $1.86 USD a kilo, and also giant sweet potatoes. We bought one sweet potato and it last us two meals, for both of us!
That said, the produce prices are not SE Asia prices, but still very affordable, especially if you stick to things that are in season. We’ve found the markets are generally a better deal than the grocery stores.
This load came from a local market in Glen Iris for about $8.16 USD. They have plenty of mark down items for around AUD $1, or $.62, like these strawberries and bananas which we cut up to freeze and use for smoothies.
An abundance of coffee stands within Queen Victoria Market, as well as more quaint walking areas near the main market…
One of the many historic trolleys. Another amazing thing about Melbourne’s city planning is that all trams are free within a certain radius of the CBD. Ahhh…we remember the days when Portland had that as well. Hopefully things in Melbourne don’t evolve like they did there.
Heading into Melbourne Central at 11:59, by chance we stumbled upon the “Marionette Watch” as a ridiculous crowd gathered around with smart phones ceremoniously elevated for the big show at noon. At the top of each hour, the large Seiko watch opens up to reveal a display of Australian motifs like native birds and figures. I don’t think we’ve ever visited one of these that was worth the hoopla. Haha.
The reason we’d actually came into Melbourne Central was directly across from the bird clock called Coop’s Shot Tower. This historic tower, built in 1889, was once the tallest building in Melbourne at 50 meters tall…now completely encompassed by a glass dome. It was originally used for the production of shot pellets. We’ve never seen a preservation quite like it, so it was definitely worth a visit.
It seems that a lot of Melbourne’s historic heritage has, in fact, been creatively preserved. Another example is the H&M store which since 2012 refurnishes the historic post office. Another notable thing about Australia at Christmas time, reindeers are obsolete and replaced with Kangaroos, called “Boomers” or “Snow White Boomers” in a catchy holiday song we learned.
After this, we paid a visit to “The Young and Jackson Hotel,” which has been the place to meet in Melbourne since 1861. It’s one of Australia’s most famous pubs, and known for its location, cold beer, and most importantly, for its famous resident…the queen of the saloon bar, “Chloe.” Naturally, she was quite a controversial icon back in the day. It’s certain we’re likely destined for inferno just for taking this photo, so we black boxed her just to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to you. It does look like a quite cozy pub.
The 1920s Nicholas Building was also worth a stop for its sweeping glass canopy and collection of eclectic shops.
Heading back to our place, we grabbed the tram, where we found a cheery man making announcements…as in a REAL person, simply informing people which trams go where as they pulled up to the station. Yes, there was a job for this!! It certainly speaks to the city’s low unemployment rate.
New Year’s Eve in Melbourne
As most of you may have learned, we’re really not night people. In fact, we get a bit grouchy after 9 if we’re not in our jammies. 🤣 (This doesn’t bode well for our overnight flights by the way.) But, venturing out for New Year’s in Melbourne seemed like a good time to get out of our comfort zone to sacrifice some sleep and see the city by night. However, we quickly learned that celebrating New Year in the southern hemisphere tops the northern any day, with the temperature only low enough to need a light jacket, and the daylight hanging on until 9 pm. Also, there doesn’t seem to be any private fireworks allowed so it’s also far safer and less obnoxious.
Finally, let’s face it….everyone has seen the photos of New Years in Sydney so it’s quite clear that cities in Australia know what they’re doing! Because of this, we had a couple drinks and dinner at home and then didn’t even have to spend a penny…
Within Melbourne there are four designated free New Year’s Eve “Celebration Zones,” of which we visited two. The first one was at the Shrine of Remembrance, which is a memorial that honors the Australians who have served in wartime. We arrived just in time to see the family fireworks display, which blasted off at 9:30 pm and briefly joked we should then turn around and go back home.
But we stuck it out by spending the evening walking around the center amongst massive, very diverse crowds. Melbourne is truly a melting pot.
Each celebration zone had a high energy dance band, (thank god) and street food stalls with obscenely long lines. Naturally alcohol was prohibited but we saw PLENTY of people breaking this rule with their elusive red cups. However, as we moved between Celebration Zones by walking through the parks, the crowds petered out making it incredibly tranquil. And it couldn’t have felt more safe unless maybe we were in Japan. There was even directional signage to find your lost kids in the silent disco.
Fortunately, arriving to the Treasury Garden, the band got us shaking and wiggling, despite the fact it’d been hours since our last drink, to AC/DC and Bruno Mars songs in the 11 o’clock hour.
We made it to midnight and it was the first time we’d ever seen fireworks before a city skyline. The other nearby zones got to see the standard big boomers launched in the air, so it was fun for a change, but it also gave us a bit of FOMO as we watched them rain down all over the city that we hadn’t picked the best one.
At 12:05, the real fun was about to begin as the massive hoards began to shuffle step-by-step through the blockaded streets toward a free-rides-for-the-night metro line while a loudspeaker reminded everyone incessantly not to push and please be patient while a lady with a thick Aussie accent and a baby screamed, “PRAM!!! Lady with a PRAM…coming through!!” Shockingly everyone was pretty well behaved, until eventually we had to funnel through the door of Flinders Station which was a little more like India as everyone shoved to maneuver through and you feared being lifted off your feet. Whew!! 😅 We finally made it back home at 2:30. Worth it? Uhhh…maybe not.
The Brighton Beach Instagram Magnet
While the northern hemisphere was embracing snow and cold blasts, it was about time for us to kick off our summer by venturing to the beach. And Australia, of course, has a lot of them with Melbourne being no exception. But particularly notable, is Brighton Beach, known for its rainbow-splashed “beach box” facades, which liven up the already handsome beach with a steady string of color.
The wooden boxes, accessible by public bus, were built in the 19th Century, and were originally constructed to provide a modest changing area for beachgoers. Today, naturally, the Aussies and visiting Europeans, just toss off their clothes revealing their pasty packaging begging to get bronzed.
The now privately owned and coveted boxes have fortunately retained their historic character as no structural changes are allowed under strict heritage protocol. Prices for a single box can reach several hundred Australian dollars, even though the boxes can’t be rented out or lived in. Uh…yeah, that sounds like a good use of money (?)
The vibrant designs and colors make them highly photogenic and unique….aka well suited for #InstagramLand in recent years with amateur photographers from all over the world. Fortunately, it didn’t seem overly crowded or obnoxious on the weekday we checked them out. And they couldn’t have popped anymore than on that Care Bear-sky-kinda-day.
Another bonus to this expansive beach…a stellar view of the Melbourne skyline.
The downside to Brighton Beach is there is zero shade in the form of trees, or even available umbrellas. So, our clothes would remain on thanks to the intense Aussie sun that day. Geez. No wonder the melanoma rates are so high in this country!
They’re so superbly vintage…you just expect a Marilyn-esque figure to pop out in her red and white polka dot bikini sipping on a Coca Cola.
We did venture into the water for some light tide pooling and a different vantage point, where we also got to graze our toes on mop-like piles of Tasman Sea seaweed. This is about as deep as we planned to get in the ocean in Australia, but it’s still fun finding some new treasures. What a great place!
The Seaside Spectacle of Saint Kilda
One area on our must see list of Melbourne was a journey to the vibrant and historic seaside spectacle of Saint Kilda, or sometimes referred to as Skilda according to the word-whacking locals. This neighbourhood, which we went to on the same day as Brighton Beach, has attracted a roller coaster of character types from the hoity-toity who plopped down seaside mansions in the 1850s to the artsy-fartsy in the mid-20th century and beyond. Today, it remains a cultural hot spot after significant gentrification and has a flavour of rejuvenated history blended with an eclectic bohemian vibe. Oh…and penguins. If you’re lucky…
Heading out to the St Kilda pier, we were excited to see the penguins that call this area home. Unfortunately, we only saw a lot of pasty people destined for lobster land because the penguins were still tucked away with their newborn penglets. Still, we got to see the sparkling and modern Melbourne skyline mingling with soaring skyscrapers amonsgt a cluster of naked and clanging sails. For us, this brought back memories of Vancouver, BC…and of that one time we spent dry-docked for two weeks on a “vintage yacht” in Greece.
The expansive beach dotted with sunbathers, as well as some of those other interesting characters we were talking about.
One of three ferris wheels in the city, the seasonal Saint Kilda KIIS Eye (AUS $15 a ticket) which unsuccessfully tried to compete with the height of the towering palms nearby. Between those palms, the costs, the perfect weather, and the seaside atmosphere, this part of Melbourne distinctly reminded us of SoCal. Not that we minded….
Moving on, we encountered our second reference to rhinoceroses in Melbourne (the first being the constant reference to them…and trams.) “The Wonderful Two” is a poignant sculpture by artists Gillie & Marc where the artist portrays Najin and Fatu, which are the last two remaining northern white rhinos, protected by 24/7 security in Kenya. Their extinction will inevitably become reality in the near future, dwindled from a population of 40,000. The sculpture serves as a symbol of hope and an educational piece, aiming to inspire future generations to take action in wildlife conservation efforts.
In the meantime, the sea gulls who harassed us during our picnic might not get the same kind of sympathy from us.
From our experience, lighthouses should be a little more chunky. The St Kilda Lighthouse which you can’t even get close to, looks like it needs to eat more cookies.
For more than 100 years, Melbourne’s Luna Park has had a distinct air of New York’s Coney Island overlooking the Port Phillip Bay. The iconic “Great Scenic Railway” still thunders its way perilously around the perimeter, which thrill seekers can access an unlimited amount of times for AUD$25/ticket. ($15.36)
Across the street, however, we found something much more to our liking in the heart of St. Kilda…the Veg Out Community Gardens, which is a community plot encouraging locals to get back to their roots of growing their own food. Although a sign warns that you better not pick what you didn’t plant, visitors can wander through the grounds free of charge to make their own interpretations of the artistic touches. Perhaps if this person had eaten more kale, he wouldn’t have died from a tragic gastrointestinal disease?! And of course, like many places in the world, Paris found its way into mix.
This appears to be an authentic street car repurposed as art. (Not sure on the historical accuracy of the George Michael-esque driver or polka-dotted senior starlet.)
This may be the polka dot princesses’ grungier sister tucked amongst all these fun 3D tiles. This mailbox is all buttoned up!
Moseying our way to St. Kilda Botanic Gardens, yet another beautiful park in Melbourne, we found a guy that clearly leads a depressed existence…in a bubbled chamber where it’s always pouring around you, despite the obvious reasons to be happy.
The National Drama School is Australia’s longest-established actor-training institution and one of the leading drama schools in the country. Make sure you continue to wander beyond the drama school to find The Great Wall of Saint Kilda, which is an impressive mosaic tile masterpiece part of the revitalization process in 2009. This vibrant burst covers what was once an ugly wall of a city power building and today is blanketed by 807 clay tiles, each with a message designed to capture the past, present and future of the neighborhood.
We love how much of this neighbourhood feels like you’re stepping back in time, right now to the signage. The preservation is admirable. Melbourne is doing urban planning and preservation very, very well.
Next we wandered into the heart of the neighbourhood known as Acland Street, a trendy mix of bohemian shops, funky eateries, eye-catching anomalies…
…and Euro-style torturously tempting pastry shops, where each sliver can be exchanged for about AUD $7-10 with a tap of a phone. The end of the St. Kilda tram line, which would whisk us away toward other pockets of Melbourne’s perfectly preserved charm in the Kooyong Neighborhood.
Leaving our New Favorite City in Oz Behind
It was with a bit of sadness we bid farewell to our much needed downtime in Melbourne and new buddy, Bubba. This has undoubtedly been a rare…what we call a “quad-fecta” of a sit…where a terrific pet, generous host, beautiful home and lush, leafy green location blend together forming a splendid little package. Seriously…even after 6.5 years on the road, using Trusted Housesitters for free accommodation is still one of the best decisions we ever made in our travel life. (Link below!)
Besides doing lots of travel planning, we’ve spent our last days biking on the long cycle paths, even sneaking a peek of the Melbourne Open, as well as soaking in long walks in mostly springlike weather, where we even scored what will be very useful street candy….
Our last mezze plate…for now at least. After so much rice, soy and salt over the last year, we sure enjoyed getting back to our Mediterranean preferences with the killer selection at the supermarkets. In total, we spent $510 on 30 days of groceries at the sit and didn’t need to eat out once.
In other resourceful news, it’s a good thing we’ve been working out because we’ve picked up some hefty items we’ll need for our onward adventures. However, we didn’t have anything to transport them in and really didn’t want to spend extra on a throwaway bag. But…lo and behold…on one of our many walks in this affluent Melbourne neighborhood sat …exactly what we needed!!! Oh. God. It’s our first…<insert doom music>…roller bag.
How do you work these again?! Indeed, we’re learning to manage the inconvenience of the extra load, and also the fact that our street candy wasn’t outfitted with an extendable handle. Fortunately Mr. Fix-It made some adaptations. So…who can guess what’s in the bag?!?
