"I Want To Pump You Up"

Great Ocean Road
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Having never been on an overnight bus, I was preparing myself for the worst but was actually pleasantly surprised with the luxury of the coach we were on. It may have even ‘been better than some of the places I have stayed in while in central America’. With reclining seats, more than adequate air con, and 2 seats for each of us all we had to do was settle in close our eyes and rest for the 12 hours we had ahead of us. The night went by fast and we ended up saving money on accommodation which is always an added bonus.

Queen Victoria Markets
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However, our comfort was short lived once arriving in Melbourne. Once off the bus we had to orientate ourselves to a new city, which generally is difficult, but becomes even more difficult when you are still half asleep and it is only 7am. But, finding it completely necessary, I finally caved and opened my trusty Lonely Planet Guide( I had resisted on principle alone) and was able to use the map to direct us to our hostel, "All Nation’s." Once inside the hostel though, our frustration turned to horror with the state of the hostel. It was an absolute ‘Rat’s Nest of Filth and Vermin’. We decided that maybe by taking a tour of the hostel we might be able to find some of it’s good qualities. Nope!!! This is what we found:

Melbourne City
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1. Just because there is hardwood flooring, bed bugs can still survive and flourish

2. Free bikes are great! (That is if you are midget sized and like feathers to hang from your bike spokes)

3. Toilet sanitation does not mean the same thing across the country

4. Saving five dollars a night is not necessarily always the best thing to do

The 12 Apostles
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5. We will never be the kind of backpackers that don’t shave their legs and wash their hair

6. We like not having to sleep with one eye open

Next stop, "Kingstreet Backpackers." Only 25 dollars a night, and includes free breakie, free internet and security. Sold! Who cares that we wasted 2 hours trying to find a decent place, and our backs hurt from carrying our backpacks for miles. (Anyways, from what I hear, scoliosis is the new skinny). Time will tell. But first things first. Sleep!!!

Loch Ard Gorge
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Six hours later, and our first good sleep in days, we woke feeling somewhat refreshed and ready to tour Melbourne, the city that at this time has surpassed all expectations and who I instantly fell in love with. The first night, wanting to try something new, we walked to China Town to partake in a little ‘Ethnic Cuisine’. Not exactly sure which restaurant to try we based it on, "Which restaurant has the most Asians?" By following this simple rule you will generally never be disappointed and the food did turn out to be amazing. We finished off the night by taking in some live music at "The Elephant and Wheelbarrow", an Irish pub that felt like a mixture between O’Byrnes and The Urban Lounge( Live band included). It was very reminiscent of the nights spent out on the town with my girls in Edmonton. Not as good of course, because there were ‘no hidden dumpster’s, face dives on the cement or early morning buckets.’

Alley Ways
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Awaking the next day, after another 12 hours of sleep we ventured out of the hostel to begin our first real tour of the city. Step one, make our way to the famous ‘Victoria Markets’. Try to barter with the vendors, eat lunch cooked fresh in front of you and chase it with fresh fruit bought right at the market. Dodge camel rides in the markets,(once was more than enough) and just sit and people watch as the day begins to cool down. Don a sweater for the first time in months and actually love the feeling of cool air on your skin. Think about how much you are actually beginning to miss the cool weather in Canada. ( I know, it seems slightly ironic to us as well).

Sunset St. Kilda- Melbourne
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Later in the day, after having toured on foot, stop into a small internet café, where we meet our first self proclaimed millionaire. After a brief chat of, "How is the coffee? Is it worth sitting down for a cup?", accept a dinner invitation to a local pizza parlor where our supper and drinks are covered. A really nice treat, especially when peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have become a staple food and Goon(boxed wine) has never really excited the palate. Feel only slightly guilty when the bill is covered- he does apparently have an expense account and I am pretty sure his annual salary is slightly higher than mine.

My Koala Experience
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The next day, a little excitement and something completely out of the norm. Post a sign on the notice board in the hostel advertising for people to join us on tour of ‘The Great Ocean Road.’ No official tours, no set time limits, only me and Jules and a rental car and hopefully someone to drive!!!!!( I still can’t get used to driving on the opposite side of the road with the gear shift on your left. I would still like to make it home at some point in time) Four hours later, our sign has been answered and we make plans to travel with 2 Italian men in the hostel. A brief introduction, a few questions- "Have you ever killed someone?," "Have you ever had the urge to kill someone?" " Are you carrying any sharp objects?" and a thorough check to make sure a shovel hasn’t made it into their bags. Nope.... All clear!.... LETS GO!!!!!

More Great Ocean Road
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Leaving at 8am, with Marco behind the wheel and me navigating we were able to successfully exit the city limits. Not set plan, no worries, just the four of us a map and a general idea of where we wanted to go. A few English lessons for Clay(Did I mention he sounds like Arnold Swarzeneger and we taught him to say "I Wan’t To Pump You Up"), a few wrong turns, numerous stops along the way and we finally returned to Melbourne at 11pm. Made for a really long day, but the sights along the way something that you cannot even begin to explain. At times, being 200m above sea level and on extremely winding roads we couldn’t surpass 50 kms an hour. Completely worth the risk to drive on these roads, especially when we were able to reach our destination points of ‘The 12 Apostles’ and ‘Loch Ard Gorge.’( A personal favorite) Not to mention we got the chance to view ‘Koala Bears’ in their natural habitat and the chance to get so close to them you could touch them. If I wasn’t afraid the koala bear would scratch my eyes out I would have tried. He was so cute, it was like he was in a trance- so calm, so serene and so completely and utterly stoned. What exactly goes on with these eucalyptus leaves?

Something New
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With our last day in Melbourne, we decided to track down some of the side streets that Melbourne is famous for. Already in love with the city that seems to offer so much to everyone, we were completely fascinated with the side streets that give this city it’s character. The city is filled with alleys that are transformed into ‘little bistros, pubs, and coffee and pastry shops all intermingled with trendy boutiques’. By sitting down, and grabbing a coffee you can’t help but feel a little awestruck of the city that, if I could, would chose as my number one place of residence. Wishing for more time, we sat back and enjoyed the city as it moved around us.

But like all good things, they eventually have to end. Currently I am flying back to Perth with the intention of working for a couple more weeks. I have said good-bye to Julie, and am more than just a little sad to see her go. We have had some really great times and I am really going to miss this girl who always seemed to make me laugh and who actually understood my warped sense of humor. But true to the promise I made, I definitely plan on meeting up with her in the future to enjoy a night out in Montreal or New York or wherever else she may spontaneously end up.