Melbourne.

My "room" at Blake's.
see all photos »

After a frustrating attempt to take public transport from Bronte to Sydney Aiport and a bumpy ride into Avalon Airport, I set off into the city to find another friend.  Who yet again extended the top of hospitality.  Five star service complete with a local tour guide, who could ask for more?

Blake has a great set-up.  He and his housemate live above a restaurant - Gluttony, it's a sin - owned by his housemate's father.  He doesn't pay rent, just works 1 shift a week in the kitchen.  The apartment is a converted storage room.  You had to walk down an alley (past the garbage), through a garage, up a rickety set of stairs, past the dish pit of Gluttony, up another set of stairs and finally into the 'apartment' complete with my own 'room'.  At least the bed was incredibly comfortable.  However, the apartment has undeniable character and grows on you very quickly.

Me at the 12 Apostles
see all photos »

That evening we went to meet up with Candice (Laura's friend from Vancouver) in a very interesting part of Melbourne - St. Kilda - it felt exactly like Queen St. West in Toronto, very hip and trendy.  Yet another blind date, all I had to go on was a photo from Laura's room that I saw once in 2004.  We found each other quite easily and settled in for $6 jugs (pitchers) at a local resto-pub.  Turned out to be a very enjoyable evening with a glimpse of the Melbourne nightlife.

Candice and I at Loch Ard Gorge. It was FREEZING, I think we do a good job of looking warm!
see all photos »

The next day Blake took me to see Melbourne University.  One of the biggest difference I've found with Canadian culture and Australian is the university lifestyle.  Uni's here have upwards of 50,000 students and barely any of them move away from home, almost all commute.  This leaves a tremendous hole of school spirit.  I'm proud of my university, proud to say that at one point I bled, Red, Gold, and Blue.

The next day I took myself off to see the architecture of the city.  I could spend hours fiddling around the gourmet section of the Queen Victoria Market or the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.  However, I was very disappointed by the Melbourne Aquarium, but very impressed by the Melbourne Zoo.  Melbourne brought my first experiences at the 'races'.  The one I attended, the Cox Plate has a relatively decent purse ($3 million).  But this day is not about the racing or the horses.  It's about getting dressed up like you're in the 1930's,big dresses and bigger hats, about fascinators (feather like hair peices), and who could forget the grog.  My budget only allowed me to bet $10, but somehow (I'm going to say shrewd strategy - read: luck) I managed to turn that into about $200.  A very satisfying day.

The highlight of my trip in Australia has been the Great Ocean Road down to the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and London Bridge.  The road offers great ocean views combined with rainforests and rolling hills that made me believe I was back in Ireland.  Nobody told me Australia was so green.  Words can't descibe and I don't think the pictures do it justice.  Three things about the great ocean road: one, you have to do it; two, I don't care how hot it is, take at least a sweater; three, it can be done in a day.

Melbourne was a great time.  It offered culture and new friends.  I was even offered a job as door staff for a new pub opening in a pseudo-entertainment district.  The poeple I met offered me everything from advice to rooms, offered to take me to their beach houses (cottage country, Australia), and even on a deep-sea fishing trip.  Alas, my time ran out.  I definitely think I have to return to Melbourne at some point.  To quote Blake, "we may not have the Opera House or the Great Barrier Reef, or any of the world landmarks - but Melbourne is a city you want to return to - just to hang out".

Picture will be up as soon as I can access a USB cable.